| 83 Te Kupenga Hauora’s $3 million community building project is set to transform support for the Auhuriri-Napier community. Nathan alongside some Board of Trustees, at the old shed blessing before demolition and the new build. Te Kupenga Hauora-Ahuriri BUILDING T T Karen Phelps Community building a big win for Napier Te Kupenga Hauora’s $3 million community building project is set to transform support for the Auhuriri-Napier community when completed in mid-2025, addressing critical gaps in local infrastructure. “We are facing significant challenges within our community. Many of the whānau that we work with hold down not one but multiple jobs and they’re struggling to keep their heads above water,” says Nathan Harrington, CEO of Te Kupenga Hauora. The Ahuriri-Napier based charitable organisation supports approximately 10,000 whānau annually with a team of 70 staff. Te Kupenga Hauora-Ahuriri been operating since 1994 and became a distinct legal entity in 1999. Construction of the new facility began in November 2023 after the organisation identified its previous building met only 16% of New Zealand’s new building standard. The project forms part of a larger $13 million five-year campus redevelopment plan, creating what Nathan describes as a critical community resource. “It’s about providing a community space, working alongside our partners who are midwives running antenatal classes, budgeting classes, homework clubs etc who will all operate out of the new building,” explains Nathan. “It also has a commercial kitchen and has the ability to be used as a Civil Defence point and space to set up distribution of medical supplies and food and to bring key community agencies together under one roof. Recent climate emergencies have heavily influenced the building’s specifications, with the facility designed to operate completely off-grid during disasters. “We’ve gone through COVID, a flood and a cyclone. Through all of that the community, iwi, our partners, funders and council have asked us to step up and share the load so we’ve handled things like distribution of food and PPE,” says Nathan. “Lessons learned during Cyclone Gabrielle where we had no internet or cell phone coverage for over a week have influenced our design and thinking so that’s why we wanted to build resilience into the place to enable us to be self-sufficient - with guaranteed power, communications and over 2,000 litres of diesel stored.” Constructed by local firms Sam Warne Building and designed by Scope View Projects, the facility consciously incorporates cultural elements and community feedback. The organisation has worked closely with manawhenua and local marae to ensure it reflects the needs of whānau and community. The design features a mezzanine floor dedicated to office and hot-desking space, with a flexible open-plan ground floor that can Specialists in high quality custom designed kitchens. From design, through to manufacture and installation, we will bring your dream kitchen to life. 06 844 6105 rick@sunshinejoinery.co.nz sunshinejoinery.co.nz For a no obligation free quote Call 022 060 9263 • Building Construction • Home Extensions and Renovations • Home Repairs and Maintenance • Remedial work to leaky buildings • Earthworks Services sam@samwarnebuilding.com | samwarnebuilding.com | Our Services accommodate emergency operations when needed. It will offer facilities for community partners to meet with clients and dedicated areas for kaumatua exercise groups aimed at addressing loneliness and fall prevention among many other things. “For me, the reason why we are doing this is because it’s my fundamental belief we are dealing with some of our whānau that face some of the biggest challenges in life and they deserve the best possible facilities we can provide,” says Nathan. “They need to be culturally appropriate and people need to see aspects of who they are in the buildings and facilities.” Beyond providing a welcoming community space, the project also addresses serious healthcare gaps in Napier, where 5,500 residents are currently unregistered with GPs. “One of the biggest issues that keeps me awake at night is that in Napier all the books are closed. So currently their GP is the emergency department,” explains Nathan. “Improving the number of clinic spaces we have for our free nurses who are able to prescribe medication means those people are being seen and it’s trying to reduce the strain on our hospital system.” The organisation faces significant challenges, operating in a town of just 66,000. Recent changes in how services are funded and a significant increase in demand have intensified pressure on the organisation as it self-funds this important development. Despite these obstacles, Nathan says that Te Kupenga Hauora remains committed to its vision of creating a resilient community hub that both reflects and serves its community’s needs.
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