Te Whare Koha in Palmerston North welcomes donations of secondhand items

Te Whare Koha staff member Azania Rutherford (left) and volunteer Jane Mooney.

Helping people find the right clothes is in Jane Mooney’s veins. Volunteering at Te Whare Koha, the free clothing hub in Highbury, is a natural way for her to continue doing this after 35 years at EziBuy.

Officially she is on duty three days a week, but often takes clothes home to wash and iron so they’re looking their best for display.

Anyone can visit Te Whare Koha at 42 Pembroke St between 9am-12pm weekdays to access free clothing, linen, kitchenware, furniture and baby equipment.

It also has a pātaka kai (community food sharing shelf), often stocked with donated food from Just Zilch and Te Tihi, and fruit and veggies from its on-site garden. Sustainability is at Te Whare Koha’s core: rescuing items and food that would otherwise go to landfill.

One of 10 volunteers at Te Whare Koha, Mooney enjoys the friendliness between visitors and staff. Visitors often bring staff treats to show their appreciation for Te Whare Koha’s hard mahi in the community.

Te Whare Koha is run by the not-for-profit charitable trust, Te Roopu Oranga o Highbury. The trust also provides transport for Highbury residents to health and social services, a free community phone, peer support and a community advisory, information, and referral service.

Te Whare Koha welcomes donations of items, which can be dropped off during opening hours.

It also needs money for overheads and larger, cheaper premises. To make a monetary donation to Te Whare Koha, visit Te Roopu Oranga o Highbury Charitable Trust’s page on Givealittle.

Te Whare Koha is linked to Environment Network Manawatū's Food Action Network. Visit enm.org.nz for more information.