WELCOME
On the 14th November 2016 The Kaikoura and South Marlborough area was struck by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake which set in motion a course of events whose effects are still being felt today.
Quoting local resident Ally Avery “Earthquakes have become ingrained in our culture”. The Kaikoura Quake tipped the balance for many individuals, whanau, business’ and community facilities
The buildings, serving the communities youngest residents – Seddon Plunket’s, Awatere Playcentre’s and the Awatere Early Learning Centre – were badly damaged, some beyond repair.
It’s time to look to the future; a purpose-built hub that provide for the diverse needs of tamariki and whanau within this community.
sign unveiling and presentation
The weather was kind and there was a great turnout for the Early Childhood Education Hub Sign Unveiling and Presentation at the Station green.
Our major community sponsors and donors were recognised with a morning tea followed by speeches from Olivia Doonan and Trust Chairman Phil Muir. Our youngsters who will benefit significantly from the new hub were on hand to unveil the sign and cut the ribbon. The graphic on the sign will track how fundraising is progressing and will be updated as funds come to hand. Our sponsors went away with certificates and the vibe amongst guests was very positive.
To date we have raised a little under $500k with $250k from Lotteries and $250k from the Community including $60k from the Rata Foundation. The community is an important part of this project and we value the support of every organisation and individual that has contributed.
The hub will cost close to $2.4 million and is to be built next to Seddon Primary School on Ministry of Education land. With a positive response from Lotteries and a successful extended community support campaign, we hope to start work on the hub early next year. We have a Grant Application into Lotteries for $1.3 million and a Community Funding programme ready to roll out as soon as the Grant application is approved. The build will not start until we have raised the money.