Gunners at play

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 486, 18 May 1993, Page 1

Gunners at play

BY

JAN

SAVELL

Twenty two gunners from 16 Field Regiment spent the last week on the ends of shovels, hammers, chainsaws and a post hole borer as they worked to create a new outside play area for Waiouru's Weir Tce Kindergarten. Warrant Officer Class One Ian Foster was the organiser. His son, Samuel, started attending the Kindergarten earlier this year. "Sue (Kumeroa) told me they have had the money for an adventure playground for 18 months but the project hadn't been able to get off the ground," said WOl Foster. "I started with their ideas and did the drawings for them. It was going to have to be done with volunteer work from the parents but then I was offered some help from these gunners who are between courses for a week - it was ideal." WOl Foster is the Regimental Sergeant Major for 16 Field Regiment and he saw the week's work as an opportunity for the gunners who finished their Basic Training on 25 March to learn some practical skills. "I jumped at the chance. This isn't any sort of slave labour, the men are getting some basic field engineering knowledge - they're operating a mechanical post hole borer, a chainsaw and using some basic building skills." "By the look of the nails on the first day some of them had never wielded a hammer before!" Turn to page 2

Gunners' play

From page 1 "This gives us a chance to look at them working informally, the way they relate to their peer group, and it gives us an insight into who the potential leaders and the followers are," he said. The gunners were divided into teams and given set tasks from either the RSM or Sergeant Major Kevin Hopkinson. It took them five days to complete the new play-

ground which meets all the relevant health and safety requirements. Prior to the work by the gunners a small group of volunteers demolished the old playground and cleaned up the area. The playground needed to be replaced as the fort had become unsteady and was not visible from the kindergarten. Untreated wood had been used for the construction and parts were starting to rot, creating a safety hazard.