Uruuruwhenua Hauora celebrated moving into its new Tarbert St building in a ceremony on Monday.
The new premises, which had been home to a medical centre, opened for clients on January 13.
It was the fourth and largest building they had operated out of since they were founded 20 years ago.
The upbeat ceremony started outside where Uruuruwhenua Hauora board member Louise McKenzie, (Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara, Ngāti Waiki Mahurangi) welcomed guests to the building.
"For us, our new premises, nau mai, haere mai," she said.
That was then followed by a karakia and waiata before Uruuruwhenua Hauora co-founder and board member Francie Diver, (Kai Tahu) and co-founder and WellSouth director of Māori health and equity Peter Ellison, (Kai Tahu) took part in a symbolic ribbon cutting, where they unwound a flax ribbon at the entrance.
Guests were then invited inside to hear speeches, tour the new facility and enjoy some kai.
Mrs McKenzie said it had taken Uruuruwhenua Hauora many years to get such a wonderful building.
"To get to this point where we can spread out is special."
The new building was so nice compared to their old address, and it was an upgrade in space and parking, she said.
The new building contains space for the main hub — the entrance area where whanau are encouraged to gather, a music room with a piano, a well-stocked gym, a counselling room, a mirimiri (Māori massage) room, two clinics, a children’s vaccination room — which doubles as the hairdressing room — and the staff offices.
The goodwill of the community was also something she was grateful for, with a generous community helping prepare the building for opening.
"Very proud, very emotional, it took 20 years to get to this point," Mrs McKenzie said.
Uruuruwhenua Hauora pou tangata Nicole Fleming (Kai Tahu) said the new building had a lot more space compared to what they had had previously.
Work had been done to redecorate and make the new building feel like a home to whanau, as opposed to the clinical space it once was, Ms Fleming said.
Mrs Diver said the idea behind the creation of Uruuruwhenua Hauora 20 years ago came from a realisation that rural Māori were missing out.
"I knew that we needed something but I didn’t know how to do it," she said.
Mr Ellison had proposed a plan, and Mrs Driver said they went with it.
"To have gone from little to this was amazing," she said.
Mr Ellison said he was happy to be there, and to have seen the service progress from one staff member to 18 was fantastic.
By Ella Jenkins
