• Two new homes to be built on Hohepa Canterbury’s campus on Barrington Street, Christchurch

• Total fundraising target is to raise $2.2 million

• Operational shortfall due to COVID-19. We anticipate there will be more needs of Hohepa over the future and while the capital project will help; there is still an immediate and ongoing operational shortfall.

Christchurch-based Lamar Charitable Trust has given an incredible $500,000 donation towards intellectual disability support provider Hohepa Canterbury, towards two new homes on its Somerfield campus. This is the second half-million dollar gift Hohepa has received for its fundraising campaign. The campaign launched in October 2019 with a lead gift from the Sutherland Self Help Trust, another long-term and supporter of Hohepa’s.

The main objective of the Lamar Charitable Trust is to promote the welfare and rehabilitation of disabled people, providing them with buildings and amenities along with the facilitation of any social, cultural, educational and recreational requirements. It has been proudly supporting local organisations for many years. Lamar Trust has a long history of generous giving towards Hohepa Canterbury, due to the alignment of the Trust’s mission to support vulnerable people, including those with intellectual disabilities. Lamar House on site at the campus was named after the Trust following a previous fundraising campaign.

In order to appropriately recognise a gift of this magnitude, one of the two new houses will be named Lamar House, with the current Lamar House, which houses five people supported by Hohepa, renamed Lamb & Marker House.

Lamb & Marker are the two surnames of the married couple, Daisy Lamb and Albert Marker QSM, who established the Lamar Trust in the mid 1970’s. Daisy’s father William Lamb was one of the original founders of Lamb & Hayward funeral directors and Albert was Lamb & Hayward’s General Manager for over 50 years. Current Lamar Trust Chair, Brent Smith, says the Trust’s mission was founded in humility. “Albert and Daisy’s connection to the funeral industry fostered a certain humility, with frequent exposure to heartbreak certainly making for an appreciation of life. This humility is what fostered the initial creation of the Lamar Charitable Trust and its objective to support the vulnerable members of society living with disability.”

The donation to Hohepa Canterbury is the largest single amount the Lamar Trust has ever given. Brent says the Trust felt the timing and the cause was right for Lamar to support the project with a truly significant gift. “All the trustees are dedicated to the inspiring and ongoing vision of supporting those who are challenged by disability. We’re committed to upholding its original founders’ vision, to support those with disabilities to live the most rewarding life possible within the community.”

General Manager of Hohepa Canterbury, Arnah Trelease says, “This campaign is special, there’s something about the nature of the cause that people are responding to and seeing the value in supporting these members of our community to live their best lives. These new homes will enable us to welcome 12 more people into our community. We are incredibly grateful for this support of our amazing community.”

If you would like to learn more or can assist in any way with this important project, please contact Arnah Trelease.

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