For several months now, one of our children at KiNZ Otara, Rayyan, has shown an interest in rubbish trucks and recycling trucks. We have used this interest to encourage Rayyan to develop his literacy skills as well as his knowledge on the process of recycling. Every week he asks “Is it rubbish day?” or “Is JJ Richards coming today?”. Rayyan is usually the first child to hear the rubbish truck backing into our carpark, and if he is not, the other children run to tell him that it has arrived. The children race to the fence to greet our friendly driver Xavier, waving and calling out to him. He is so friendly, he always waves back and speaks to the children through the fence as he empties the bins into his truck. Then he toots his horn as he waves them goodbye.

One day recently Rayyan commented “JJ Richards hasn’t come today,” and we realised we hadn’t put our bins out to be emptied. Luckily there wasn’t much rubbish that day, but Rayyan helped Lisa, our Centre Manager, to ring the company to check they would return the following week. They were very pleased to receive Rayyan’s call and assured him the truck would be back to empty our rubbish. We suggested Rayyan could draw a rubbish truck to give to Xavier when he returned. Rayyan drew a truck and gave it to him when he arrived. The following week, Taki the manager visited Rayyan with a gift for him, his very own JJ Richards rubbish truck and bin. I have never seen the usually chatty Rayyan so quiet. He was absolutely delighted and so surprised that he was lost for words. We were all very pleased that Rayyan had “made the day” for Xavier and the JJ Richards company. They had made our day too with their kind gift for Rayyan. What lovely community spirit.