Marae Installs Water Tank Thanks to New Community Resilience Fund
EMBARGOED UNTIL 3RD JULY 2018
Wellington’s Nikau Foundation is on a mission to increase grants available for community resilience projects around the
Region. The Foundation is building a new “Wellington Resilience Fund” and while the fundraising is ongoing, it has
already funded its first project.
“When it comes to community resilience, every day counts” says Louise Parkin, Nikau Foundation’s General Manager. “You
just never know when the next big event will be so we want to get as many resilience projects funded as possible.”
Thanks to their partnership with the Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO) and The Tank Guy, an 800
litre water tank is being installed at Ōrongomai Marae in Upper Hutt - an urban-based marae of Te Atiawa that provides
for all iwi away from their ukaipo.
Front - Gary King (The Tank Guy), Dan Neely (WREMO), Louise Parkin (Nikau Foundation) and Dave Lawn (Tank H2O Ltd) all
donated time, equipment and materials to install the water tank under the supervision of Sam McLean from Orongomai Marae
(centre back)
“Small contributions to help provide water tanks to community organisations like marae can make a big difference in
their ability to assist their communities during times of stress. Ōrongomai Marae is a great candidate for this type of
initiative because of the important role they play before, during and after an emergency”, says Dan Neely, Manager of
Community Resilience at the Wellington Region Emergency Management Office.
Nikau Foundation plans to fund more water tanks and other projects that build resilience through the Resilience Fund and
have asked the people and businesses in the Wellington Region to assist. A Pledge Me campaign with a goal of $20,000 is
on track for success through sales of the Wellington Resilience Bar. As part of annual joint venture with the Wellington
Chocolate Factory, a proportion each chocolate bar sold goes directly in to the Wellington Resilience Fund. It is the
perfect complement to office or home emergency kits.
Donations and orders for the Wellington Resilience Bar can be made via the Pledge Me site at https://www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/5653-the-wellington-resilience-fund-givewhereyoulive, via their website at www.nikaufoundation.org.nz or by phone on 0800 986 7443.
Nikau Foundation is also keen to hear what resilience projects need funding across the region so they invite
Wellingtonians to fill out the form on the Resilience Fund page on their website to help build a picture how the Nikau
Foundation might contribute to their resilience.
ENDS