26 | A total of 31,046 people used services provided in the CHMC hub - up 56 per cent on the previous year. Community House Mid Canterbury T T Rosa Watson REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT An Ashburton community hub that has been providing a low-cost safe and welcoming home for Mid Canterbury organisations for more than three decades has been recognised for its vital service. Community House Mid Canterbury received a highly commended in the Excellence in Community Impact category at the 2026 ANZ Business of the Year Awards, held in Ashburton in February. It was recognition of the hard work and dedication of exceptional people over the past 30 years, facilities manager Robbie Ross says. “From a small beginning Community House has become a vital part of the Mid Canterbury community. “Community House isn’t about just one person, it’s the collective vision of many people who volunteer as Trustees, work as staff members, offer vital services to the community as tenants, and those who enter through our door seeking support advice and care.” He says the team were motivated to apply for the awards seeing how Community House makes a very real difference in people’s lives. “It’s a great opportunity for the community to get some better understanding of who we are and what we offer their community. So many people we speak to are surprised by the extent of the services offered.” Community House Mid Canterbury (CHMH) - formally known as the Ashburton Resource Centre - was established in 1994 by members of the then Ashburton Council of Social Services. Its mission was to provide a low- cost, safe and welcoming community hub for not- for-profit community, welfare, health, and social service organisations. It was officially granted Charitable Trust status in December 1994, and with the location of suitable premises, the Ashburton Resource Centre opened its doors to the community in January 1995. It opened with two agencies as tenants, increasing to five by the end of that year. In 2010, the name was changed to Community House Mid Canterbury to reflect changing terminology and create brand alignment with Community Houses throughout New Zealand. In May 2012, following the Canterbury earthquakes and changes to the Building Code, CHMC was required to relocate, moving firstly to a smaller site at the rear of Westpac then in 2015 to its current site at 44 Cass Street. The facility, that is spread across two buildings, houses both CHMC and Safer Mid Canterbury offering the community over forty different services. In the 2024/25financial year, the CHMC community van was hired for a total of 112 days. The Rakaia, Rangitata, Hakatere rooms and casual office space were used by individuals and community groups for a total of 2,836 hours. A total of 31,046 people used services provided in the CHMC hub - up 56 per cent on the previous year. Excluding permanent tenants, 75 different community organisations used the facilities, and 135 people from other organisations attend CHMC bi-monthly networking meetings. CHMC is home to 23 permanent tenants and seven casual tenants, offering a wide range of activities and services that are easily accessible to the local community. These include health and wellbeing services, support groups, community meetings and seminars, regular social get-togethers, and development programmes. “We provide low- cost office spaces in the centre of Ashburton designed to accommodate the unique needs of notfor-profit and health and wellbeing related commercial tenants,” Robbie says. It is supported through grants from trusts and foundations, and other community groups, including the Lion Foundation, Rotary, Braided Rivers Community Trust, Community Trust Mid & South Canterbury, Lottery Grants Board, Air Rescue and Community Services, Community Organisation Grants Scheme, Advance Ashburton, the Lions Club Ashburton, Good in the Hood, Perpetual Guardian and Pub Charity Inc. The team at JKF Homes have also been a huge support to the organisation, Robbie says, and are currently carrying out a $400,000 renovation on the building, including replacing the entire roof, removing heat pump motors from the roof and installing solar panels and making improvements to the Cass Street entrance. 03 308 4606 office@jkfhomes.co.nz • 121 Archibald Street, Tinwald We build all round the Ashburton area OPTIONS WE CAN OFFER YOU • Alterations • Renovations • Light Commercial • Pole Sheds • New Homes • Additions PROUD TO BE INVOLVED WITH COMMUNITY HOUSE Professional building design services Ashburton | Canterbury | South Island wide Architectural design & documentation for new builds, alterations and relocations — residential & commercial. 03 308 8015 admin@blueprints.net.nz www.blueprints.net.nz A hub for local support
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