Parklands School students give at-risk possums a helping hand

Injured and rescued possums will have temporary new homes after students at Parklands School built possum boxes for Healing Hands Wildlife Care.

The class decided local wildlife could benefit from extra support and contacted Healing Hands Wildlife carers.

After raising more than $180 by selling snacks at lunchtime, the students spent two days working together to build and paint six possum boxes.

Year 6 teacher Cath Hodgkinson said her class believed in the importance of giving back to the community through acts of service.

“As leaders of the school, we demonstrate our school values of respect, community, creativity, fairness, and kindness through our actions,” she said.

“We approached Healing Hands Wildlife Carers and asked what we could do to help.”

“They visited with three joeys and a juvenile bobtail lizard and explained the caring and dedicated volunteer role they play to rehabilitate and look after local injured and sick wildlife.”

“They suggested a range of things that could benefit the group, from which we chose two activities; fundraising and making ringtail possum boxes.”

Ms Hodgkinson secured donations of products and ingredients from Dog Rock Woolworths, Handasyde Strawberry Farm and Bunnings with additional support from the men’s shed, and Ken and Glenny Caratti.

“We are delighted to be able to give the money and possum boxes to Healing Hands Wildlife Carers and we acknowledge the hard work and kindness this group provides to numerous animals both big and small,” she said.