22 | Presbyterian Support South Canterbury T T Virginia Wright Deserved recognition for community service PSSC’s operations providing care and support for the vulnerable have expanded over the years to include a range of social services. One of seven autonomous not-for-profit organisations operating under the Presbyterian Support umbrella around the country, Presbyterian Support South Canterbury (PSSC) was awarded both the Community Award and the Supreme Award at the 2025 South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce Business & Community Excellence Awards, the first community charity to ever win the top honour in the region. PSSC’s operations providing care and support for the vulnerable have expanded over the years to include a range of social services to children, youth, families and older people. CEO Carolyn Cooper has been with PSSC for over 20 years, with 15 years as general manager for their Aged Care Services before moving into the CEO role in 2018, and she has only admiration for the 400 staff and over 100 volunteers, who keep the various services within the South Canterbury community running. “The organisation is made up of a lot of people who have a real passion for working with others, especially those who need help, particularly the more vulnerable,” Carolyn says. “We are fortunate to have a dedicated team of long-serving staff, whose commitment reflects the care Presbyterian Support provides, both within our residential Enliven Homes and throughout the wider community. “I recently had the privilege of recognising a staff member who has been with us for 40 years, a remarkable milestone that speaks volumes about our values and the enduring impact of our work.” PSSC are well known for their aged care services, with four separate homes offering a total of 252 rest-home, hospital-care and dementia beds, along with cottages, villas and apartments across the region, some of which cater for younger adults with disabilities. They are less well known for their work with refugees, and their social services for families, including Family Works, as Carolyn explains. “We work with babies through to 12,13, 14 year-olds, and their parents and their grandparents. Part of Family Works services offered are programmes such as Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Social Workers in Schools, Family Start, which works with young mums even before they’ve had their babies, but also staff provide counselling and a food bank service. We provide a wraparound service for families from one-on-one to a variety of group programmes, because we know that often there is more than just one challenge for people.” Some of their services are fully funded by the government but others, such as the counselling service, are provided by PSSC at no cost to the clients because of community need. The food bank also receives no government funding, relying on donations and grants to keep going, and is maintained as a community service by PSSC because of the need. With 1605 food parcels accessed by a total of 5760 adults and children between July 2024 and end of June 2025 (up from 999 food parcels for the previous year), this service fills an important gap for many families. For Carolyn, the Chamber of Commerce awards were also recognition that as well as being a charity, PSSC is a large business, which puts a lot back into the community, not just through the services provided, but also through wages and supporting local wherever possible. This includes using local skills when it comes to using tradesmen, such as with the refurbishment of the organisation’s Heritage Homestead. Sitting within the grounds at 12 Park Lane in Timaru, the building sat empty for 13 years waiting for the seismic-strengthening work needed to make it safe, which is now nearing completion. Built in 1907, and donated for use in the care for the elderly and the vulnerable by Lorna and Hamish Grant in 1968, while Heritage Homestead belongs to PSSC, it is part of the fabric and history of Timaru. Wwhen the Heritage 2 Homestead is officially re-opened, three of its meeting rooms will be available for community use and its extensive gardens will be open for everyone to enjoy. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT 027 6311 466 or 03 688 8630 • www.grantjenkins.co.nz PAINTING, DECORATING & STOPPING SUPPORTING PRESBYTERIAN SUPPORT SOUTH CANTERBURY Winners at the 2025 NZ Master Painters Awards 0800 PWPAINT pandwpainters@xtra.co.nz We are proud to be associated with Timaru Construction & Presbyterian Support South Canterbury on this project Preserving the Past. Building the Future.
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