Pahiatua Community Services Trust

Established in 1991, The Trust (short for Pahiatua Community Services Trust) is a one-stop shop that supports our Tararua community from pregnancy, birth and parenting through to the senior years. We have a team of social workers, counsellors and educators who provide caring support through challenging times.
Alongside these services, we also partner with others in the community to provide additional events and projects. This is made possible with financial support from organisations like Trust House.

Weaving Wahakura

After the successful introduction of wahakura wānanga in the southern Tararua in 2018, The Trust have continued to work in collaboration with other services, including Pahiatua Help-n-Hand, Mokopuna Ora Collective, Pahiatua Whakawhaiti o te iwi Marae and local weavers to offer regular weaving days to the community. This year, we hosted three small group wahakura wānanga for hapū whānau.

Meals for Families Project

We are proud to offer frozen meals to the community. Over 150 families have benefitted this year. As an organisation we have a strong value of community connectedness and this project is a way we can promote this using social media. Christmas is a great time to harness wider community generosity when we operate as a conduit between those who want to give and those who appreciate the support. This year we provided 92 gifts to local children and gave 12 food hampers to families.

Fonterra ‘Winter Workforce’ for local seniors

A new partnership with Fonterra Pahiatua was an exciting way to offer community support to our local elderly. During the winter factory shut down, the Fonterra workers were able to provide some manual labour. The Trust linked them up with older people who needed help with household maintenance, like firewood stacking, kindling cutting, clearing gutters, tree trimming and window washing. Over six weeks, more than 30 older people were helped, and the feedback was amazing! We hope to make this an annual event in partnership with Fonterra.

“Give or Take” shelves

A broken cupboard door sparked the idea for the ‘Give or Take’ shelves outside our building. During the feijoa season, we had plenty of fruit to give away each day. Thanks to the generosity of community members, we have a regular supply of knitting, baby items and clothing on offer as well as the odd food offering. We like the idea of a free exchange system that is community owned. We also love that people can come and take what they need without having to ask for it which maintains their privacy and dignity.

More from their website here: thetrustpahiatua.co.nz.