The award to the Takapau Community Health Centre Trust recognised the voluntary work that past and present trustees, staff and the newly established “re-build committee” have contributed to the health and wellbeing of the Takapau community and surrounding districts over the past 34 years.
Accepting the award on the evening, founding trustee Judith Findlay said, “All of the awards here tonight have been about people who have vision, and that’s what we have at Takapau.
“In 1989 one of the nurses in Takapau said ‘we need to buy the old post office and create a health centre’. Her vision started it all. We had to have two-monthly bring-and-buy sales to pay the power bill and we employed a nurse for 10 hours a week.
“Now we’re open every day and provide daily nurse-led morning clinics, two afternoon clinics, a weekly doctor’s clinic and a bi-monthly wāhine doctor’s clinic. The health centre has almost 3000 registered patients.”
The trust has just embarked on a project to build a new “wellness and community hub” in the township as the current building, which was built in 1911, is no longer fit for purpose.
Judith said, “Our vision now is to get a new building as ours is now too small for all the clinics ... and the roof leaks.
“We’re now on another journey for the next 34 years, so watch this space.”
Judith said, “We are very grateful for the recognition for the work over the past 34 years and are excited about the prospect of having a purpose-built facility for our community to utilise and continue to thrive.”
