Welcome! Who are we and why are we here?

Tena Koe

Thank you for taking the time to read this first blog. I thought I might start by telling you a little about who we are and our background. We are a new Charitable Trust set up in 2019/2020. Continuing the legacy of service to people and to community begun by the Ōpōtiki Māori Womens Welfare League, we are a social movement that enables and empowers people to dream, activate and actualise their best and fullest potential. We believe this is best achieved through the power of collective aspiration, action and service in, and for, the benefit of our Ōpōtiki community.

So what does it mean to be part of our Ōpōtiki community? Well, that's a question we are hoping to answer in conversation with the people of Ōpōtiki . One perspective is that community is both a feeling and a set of relationships among people. People form and maintain communities to meet common needs. Members of a community have a sense of trust, belonging, safety, and caring for each other. They have an individual and collective sense that they can, as part of that community, influence their environments and each other.

That treasured feeling of community comes from shared experiences and a sense of—not necessarily the actual experience of—shared history. As a result, people know who is and isn’t part of their community. This feeling is fundamental to human existence.

How can you be involved?

Welcome us into your home and share your thoughts about what it means to be part of our Ōpōtiki community. Tell us your long term vision - hopes and aspirations - for the future of Ōpōtiki. What does this mean in terms of wellbeing - the social fabric that brings us all together in this space we share and call home? For our environment and whenua that sustains us, feeds us and connects us to papatūānuku. For a sustainable economic platform where local people work, live and play that provides for all that participate and supports those that can not. For an enriched understanding and appreciation of Mana Whenua across our District - Te Whakatōhea, Ngāitai and Te Whānau-ā-Apanui - and the diverse cultural mix and ethnicities that all call this place home.

Everyone has a valuable contribution to make and your opinion matters. So why not invite us around for a cup of tea and a kōrero. We’d love to hear your views.

He kōrero o te rā nei:

"What affects everyone can best be solved by everyone" - Anonymous

Mauri Ora

Shannon

Executive Chair