Former Karitane nurse Anna Williams and current Plunket nurse Ann Neha with baby Eli at the refurbished facility. Photo / Jodi Bryant
Former Karitane nurse Anna Williams and current Plunket nurse Ann Neha with baby Eli at the refurbished facility. Photo / Jodi Bryant
A run-down family centre in Whangārei has been given a new lease of life with a refurbishment said to have made it the envy of most other Plunket centres.
The Whānau Āwhina Plunket Family Centre at 33 King St, Whangārei reopened its doors on Friday after a major makeover toa crowd of around 50 supporters on a glorious day.
The opening ceremony was attended by around 50 representatives and past and present families who took part in waiata, karakia and speeches. Photo / Jodi Bryant
The family centre was described as rundown and only just meeting functional standards when it closed its doors last December for what was meant to be an eight-week refit. However, Covid-19 delayed the process until last week.
The 1930s building has been serving the community as a family centre since the 1980s.
The refit was largely due to the Tikipunga Children's Home Trust, which closed its doors several years ago but wanted its assets used by a like-minded community group supporting tamariki and families in the community.
Kāinga Ora Homes and Communities also funded the project, which included a new roof, paint job, plumbing, playground, kitchen, bathroom, redeveloped garage, ramp and deck and fire alarm installation.
The 1930s building now has a fresh, new look and facilities. Photo / Jodi Bryant
This was the first renovation the 1930s building had undergone since becoming a Plunket facility in 1989. Former Karitane nurse Anna Williams had served there for around 20 years and described the refurbished facility as "incredible".
"I'm a little jealous, to be honest," she said. "There were lots of times we looked out the back and wished we had a lovely big deck and playground."
Northern Region property adviser Chris Gower - also known as the "Plunket husband" - described the facility as "exceptional" and the envy of most other Plunkets.
The back yard is now utilised with a playground and sandpits. Photo / Jodi Bryant
"It's a flagship of the area," he said. "The previous deck and ramp was an obstacle course to navigate and you had to shimmy in and out of the bathroom. It just didn't work. Now, you can run up to three, maybe four clinics at a time. Not many around the country can do that."
The opening ceremony was attended by around 50 representatives and past and present families who took part in waiata, karakia and speeches. Photo / Jodi Bryant
The ceremony included karakia, waiata and many speakers, including representatives from Kainga Ora and Tikipunga Children's Home trustees, Plunket's clinical services manager Cynthia Keay, along with both past and present staff and families.
Kaumātua Haami Tohu said: "It's the same canoe, just a newer one."
Plunket's community services manager Clare Green said the first family centre was established in Whangārei in 1982 at a different site before moving to King St in 1989.
"The family centre has a really rich history and provided a much-needed respite for mothers and babies."
Waiata, karakia and speeches proceeded the walk-through of the refurbished building. Photo / Jodi Bryant
It now functions as a drop-in clinic, conducts "B4 School" checks and is a venue for playgroups, parenting groups and Kids Kits – a pop-up shop recycling clothing for whānau of the area, as well as providing "a safe place to escape the complexities of life".
The team plan to "Repay the debt and pay it forward through the pēpē" for the Tikipunga Children's Home Trust's generosity.
The revitalised premises comes the same year that Plunket underwent a rebrand becoming Whānau Āwhina Plunket.
