It’s time for children throughout Whakatāne district to put their artistic skills to work in the cause of keeping their country beautiful.

An illustration by award-winning local writer and illustrator Nikki Slade Robinson from her book, Hauraki Broo, will be this year’s Keep Whakatāne Beautiful committee’s colouring competition.

The competition is being held to promote Clean Up New Zealand Week, which runs from September 20 to 27.

Organised by not-for-profit organisation Keep New Zealand Beautiful, Clean Up Week is a great opportunity for families, schools, businesses or community groups to participate in events to clean up their local areas.

Copies of Slade Robinson’s book, with a choice of te reo Māori or English versions, will be awarded as prizes in the competition.

Keep Whakatāne Beautiful chairman Andrew Iles said that this year, the competition took the conservation theme from the land to the sea.

“We wanted to put the emphasis on getting the message across, through our tamariki, that we cannot litter our beaches, foreshore and oceans.

“We’re well aware of what we seen in the way of waste that is being discharged to the sea from rubbish that has been dumped.

“I have again called on Nikki, who had produced this book, which carries that theme.”

Hauraki Broo tells the story of a young Bryde’s whale searching for food in the Hauraki Gulf and highlights conservation issues in the marine environment.

Entrants will have until the end of the school holidays, October 14, to complete their masterpieces.

There are categories for under fives, six-to-seven years, eight-to-10 years and 11-to- 12 years.

Entry forms can be clipped from The Beacon or will be distributed through schools.

Once completed they can be dropped into Whakatāne District Council’s Commerce Street office or the Murupara Service Centre in Pine Drive.