UCOL Hospice Home on the move

Thursday 22 September 2011

UCOL Hospice Home on the move

UCOL’s biggest community initiative to date, the UCOL Hospice Home, has been a resounding success for all involved.

Not only has Palmerston North’s Arohanui Hospice just received a cheque for $40,000 as its share from the sale of the house, but more than 30 UCOL Carpentry students gained an invaluable learning experience on a real life building site.

An excited group gathered this morning (Thursday) to see the UCOL Hospice Home jacked up in preparation for its final journey to its new owner’s property on the outskirts of Feilding.

The 112 square metre house, designed by E3 Architects, was built by students, under the supervision of their tutors, on a site adjacent to the UCOL Trades facility on Amesbury Street.

The completed house, fitted with floor coverings and fixtures, sold for $116,000 at auction in July.

Arohanui Hospice Chief Executive Clare Randall was presented with a $40,000 cheque by UCOL’s Deputy Chief Executive Strategy, Clare Crawley.

The Dean of Trades and Technology Kelly Gay says the house building initiative takes teaching to a new level. “I know the students gained a great deal of satisfaction and sense of achievement from the project and this will help give them the confidence to seek employment.”

The innovative venture, a partnership first for the Manawatu, saw more than 20 Manawatu people and organisations come forward with free or discounted resources and services for the house.

The UCOL Hospice Home is the first full size house building project for UCOL’s Certificate in Carpentry programme. A second house is nearing completion on Amesbury Street.

Construction has recently begun on a third house opposite UCOL’s Princess Street main entrance, in a partnership with Habitat for Humanity.

ENDS

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