Following Te Āti Awa and Ngāti Toa’s joint blessing of the site at dawn, the Wellington City Mission has officially opened Whakamaru.

Today’s opening event offered members of the community the chance to tour the building and hear of the many Whakamaru services that will soon be available to the people of Wellington.

Staff and our manuhiri will now have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the building, before full operations begin on Monday 18th November. The public will also be able to engage with the building from this date.

The building was opened by the Governor General of Aotearoa New Zealand, The Right Honourable Dame Cindy Kiro, GNZM, QSO. Speakers included Kura Moeahu, Hon Nicola Willis, Mayor Tory Whanau, Bishop Justin Duckworth and our City Missioner, Murray Edridge.

As part of this historic moment in the 120th year of the Wellington City Mission, Te Āti Awa have gifted te reo Māori titles for The Wellington City Mission, its City Missioner, its Trust Board and its staff.

The title given to the Wellington City Mission itself is ‘Hei Whakamaru o te Korowai o te Panepane o te Ika a Maui’, which can be shortened to ‘Whakamaru o te Korowai’ for everyday use. The literal translation is ‘The shelter of the cloak of protection of the wider Wellington region’.

Speaking at today’s Official Whakamaru Opening, Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge said: “Today represents a milestone, or a completion, but in so many ways we’re just starting the journey. You will find today that this is a beautiful whare, but it will become more beautiful when people come in here.”

“Everyone who comes into this space will be a distinguished guest, because that’s what we built it for. This building is built on the premise of creating a community where there is no ‘us and them’. Whether you come to this building because there’s something you need, or whether you come because you have something to offer, you will be treated exactly the same. Together, we build community, and that’s what this place is all about.”

With an overarching principle of ‘no us and them’ at its core, Whakamaru’s services are centred around care and community.

Whakamaru will be a transformational community facility for everyone in Wellington. Operational 24/7 for those in need, the Wellington City Mission’s new development will re-shape the way our community supports and cares for itself.

Alongside existing Wellington City Mission services like the Social Supermarket and our network of Community Practitioners, Whakamaru will be home to 35 long-term transitional housing apartments, a medical centre operated by Ora Toa and a laundry/shower service freely available for all to use.

Operational 24/7 with staff on site at all times, The Mission’s network of support services will be available to anyone who steps through its doors, as well as the residents housed within. As part of the 24/7 operations, our Crisis and Recovery Café will provide a 24-hour mental health crisis prevention and response service in a non-clinical environment.

But in Whakamaru, Wellington will also gain a vibrant hub for everyone in the community. Operating under a ‘contribute-what-you-can’ model, Craig and Gail’s public café will bring our community together in one place, while a suite of well-equipped meeting spaces will make Whakamaru a centre for collaboration across the wider community.

You can read more about Whakamaru, and the wide range of services on offer to Wellingtonians here.

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