Raahui Pookeka Community Centres Trust is wrapping up for the holidays after one of the most productive years in the Trust’s history.
After two new locations, a rebranding, and growth in both staff and volunteers, the Trust is exploding outwards into the Huntly community and beyond.
Summer of 2024/25 saw the exciting change of Creative Huntly (Te Whare Toi o Hakanoa) moving out of Friendship House and into its very own building nestled on Hakanoa Lake.
A year of Arts Director Sasha McGaughran’s care and dedication to the space has seen it transform from the old scouts’ building to a hotspot of art and creativity in Huntly.
Fast forward to May 2025 and the Huntly West Hub now also had their own new and exciting space, shifting them from the old location on Harris Street to the brand new Te Whare Awhi building on Fraser Street.
“This milestone was a long time coming, and we are deeply grateful to BuiltSmart, who gifted us the building and helped make this dream a reality,” said Te Whare Awhi Coordinator Hine Timothy.
All of this change coincided with a rebranding of what was once the Friendship House Community Charitable Trust to the Raahui Pookeka Community Centres Trust.
Volunteer and staff numbers have grown too, with a new hire at the Creative Huntly building and huge support from the community.
2025 has been a year of new ventures and projects for the trust. The new Te Whare Awhi has been more than utilised to its potential since May, with a six-week Rangoā workshop facilitated by Te Puna Ora, a successful learner license workshop, and a developing community fruit harvest drive.
Over at Friendship House, programmes such as community lunches and Harpori parenting classes have continued to flourish and nurture a tight knit community.
Te Whare Toi o Hakanoa has run a number of successful workshops and events in its new space, including classes for a number of dance styles, songwriting workshops, and visual art opportunities for children and adults. A new pottery studio with a kiln is also in the works.
A very successful Huntly Arts Festival organised by Creative Huntly saw around 800 attendees and over 45 creative stallholders. This year’s Halloween Carnival was also a success with around 300 attendees.
Overall the Trust continues to cultivate social development in the Raahui Pookeka community, and provide opportunities for growth and wellbeing for whānau and individuals.
