Grant Knight: the quiet force behind the transformation of Puāwai
When people walk into Puāwai, the headquarters of Pest Free Kaipātiki (PFK), they see a welcoming space; a hub for ecological restoration, education and community building.
What many do not see is the enormous amount of volunteer labour that went into transforming this former bowling club building into what it is today.
And at the centre of that work was Grant Knight.
Grant played a major role in restoring Puāwai from a rundown building into a functioning headquarters for the organisation.
His wife Jo has also been instrumental to PFK’s success over many years through her own leadership, organising and restoration work.
Taking on the hard jobs nobody else wanted
When PFK first acquired the building, it required extensive renovation work. Funding support for restoration was limited, so volunteers largely took on the project themselves.
Grant became the person who consistently tackled the difficult and often unpleasant jobs that needed doing.
Jo Knight says, “Grant is incredibly persistent, he keeps going until the work is finished. He quietly follows through and makes sure the work gets done.”
He helped line and insulate the garage so chemicals used for predator control could be safely stored there, and worked on demolition and rebuilding tasks.
Many other volunteers contributed to the project over the years, including people helping paint walls, hang doors and rebuild spaces.
Lifelong connection to nature
Outside of his work renovating Puāwai, Grant also spent 30 years volunteering at Hadfield Street Reserve, helping remove invasive ginger, clear tracks and maintain the reserve after storms and slips. He also contributed to restoration work at Odin Place Reserve.
Jo says, “Grant has always been deeply connected to nature. But the transformation of Puāwai is his greatest source of pride.”
Today, Puāwai stands as a thriving community headquarters used by PFK staff and volunteer groups across Kaipātiki.
Its transformation was largely due to years of Grant’s dedication and hard work.
At 81, he has slowed down somewhat, but he continues to frequently mow Puāwai’s lawn, and his contribution to PFK remains part of the building itself.
PFK has recognised Grant Knight as a Lifetime Member for his contribution to the organisation and the wider Kaipātiki community.
In the last five years, Pest Free Kaipātiki has:
- planted 32,946 native trees
- logged 70,150 volunteer hours
- controlled 4,066 weed locations
Find out more about Pest Free Kaipātiki
