About us
Te Whare Hapori o ngā Puna Waiora, Newtown Community Centre
We are a busy and vibrant community hub in the heart of Newtown, Wellington. We have been an integral part of the Newtown community since our centre was established in 1977.
Our main building is a stone's throw from Newtown’s Riddiford Street shops, on the corner of Colombo and Rintoul Streets. We have other venues on Constable Street and Daniell Street.
We host a variety of concerts, gigs, theatrical performances, exercise and language classes, and cultural activities for our diverse Newtown community.
We are home to a number of community services, including the Wellington Timebank and the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, as well as a Justice of the Peace Service.
We also manage Smart Newtown community computer hub, which is located in our Network Newtown building and the Newtown Tool Library, which is next door on Constable Street.
We work with community groups to develop and deliver initiatives that benefit the people of Newtown and surrounding suburbs. Please don't hesitate to talk to us about how we may be able to support your group within the community!
About our name
Our name is Te Whare Hapori o Ngā Puna Waiora – Newtown Community Centre. We were gifted the koha of this Te Reo Māori name by Peter Jackson, a kaumātua of Te Āti Awa and Taranaki iwi. We began using it when we moved back into our renovated centre in May 2023. Our new logo, designed by Axel Olsthoorn, shows the springs below our centre.
‘Te Whare Hapori o ngā Puna Waiora’ means ‘the community centre of the springs of wellness’.
Newtown once contained wetlands, with puna / springs and awa / rivers running through the area, likely sustaining Māori communities who also had māra / gardens around the area. As our suburb became built up, post-colonisation, the springs were pushed underground. However, they still run under our suburb, and our new name honours them and their history, as well as connecting us with our purpose.
Waiora / wellness is central to our mahi / work at the community centre – whether it’s providing people with kai, a chance to move their body, or nourishing our mental health with chances to connect – wellness is key for us.
The name also connects us to other organisations in Newtown – Te Kura o ngā Puna Waiora / Newtown School, and Ngā Puna Waiora / Wellington Hospital – both organisations that we are proud to share a kaupapa / purpose with – the separate streams of our mahi connect to nurture and support our community.
Our vision
Enriching community together.
Our aim
To bring people together to make a great community.
Our values
- Welcoming, participating and celebrating the diverse vibrant people of our community
- Supporting each other to grow and achieve
- Have a community where everyone feels safe, involved and belonging
Te Tiriti o Waitangi
We aim to include and support Māori and te ao Māori in the ways that we can. We have a living Tiriti o Waitangi policy which includes the following:
- Acknowledgement that we stand on land stolen from mana whenua
- Practical support for Māori practitioners wishing to bring toi Māori, matauranga Māori or te reo Māori to our community
- New staff all attend a Tiriti o Waitangi course
- Efforts to use Te Reo Māori in the community centre
- An ongoing commitment to learning and growing in this area
Our people
Eryn is a people person and passionate advocate. She’s got a lot of love for inclusion, community, conversation, the arts, laughter... and… goats! As an artist she loves to make stuff, as NCC Kaiwhakahaere / Manager she loves to make stuff happen!
eryn@newtowncommunity.org.nz04 389 4786
Ellie is originally from Australia, via the UK, and has been in Aotearoa for some years, mostly boodling around Newtown (the best ‘burb). She is in love with the ocean (come and talk to her about snorkeling ANY TIME) and is passionate about social justice.
ellie@newtowncommunity.org.nz04 389 4786
Originating from northern Europe, growing up in Canada, and now, a permanent resident of Aotearoa, Linda considers herself a “child of the universe”. Her greatest joys in life are the arts, being in nature, and her two astonishing grown up sons! Linda brings her 20+ years experience of project coordination and arts administration to the community centre.
linda@newtowncommunity.org.nz04 389 4786
Phil works his financial magic and keeps us entertained behind the scenes at the Community Centre. It is generally agreed that the place would fall to pieces without him.
phil@newtowncommunity.org.nz
Born in Pōneke to South African parents, raised in the US, and super chuffed to be back home! Megan is a social worker by training, recovering chef, parent and partner to a fun and adventurous whānau, and keen roller skater. She is loving getting to know Newtown and the community whilst enhancing her knowledge of local resources and treasures to help get folks connected and flourishing.
megan@newtowncommunity.org.nz
Andy does odd jobs and cover for the Community Centre and Smart Newtown. He’s a great chef and puts those skills to good use volunteering at our Quick Kai and Soup Friday programmes! As well as all his community activities, he’s a big sports fan and is an avid reader.
Marseel (right) is our cleaner – he keeps the community centre sparkly and shiny! You'll often see him around our spaces in the evenings, and Shamooni (left) is sometimes around to help him out with English and spend time in the centre! They are both from Iraq, Shamooni having arrived to Aotearoa in 2012 as a former refugee, and Marseel in 2016. They married in 2017 and like listening to music and dancing. Marseel is a keen gardener and Shamooni loves to cook. Marseel speaks English, Arabic and Assyrian while Shamooni speaks all of those languages and Kurdish as well!
Rowena is our timebank kaiwhakahaere. She’s into growing kai and community. She loves seeing food growing and people being fed. With an artist mother and a Buddhist father she was raised with the understanding we are all creative and that receiving help is as much an act of generosity as giving it. She loves making a mess in the kitchen, time with friends and family and standing under really big trees.
info@wellingtontimebank.org.nzhttp://www.wellingtontimebank.org.nz
Resident tech sorceress from the United States, Maddy runs Smart Newtown. She’s passionate about digital equity and helping folks gain confidence with technology. Outside of work, she’s in love with tabletop RPGs, coffee, 1920s fashion, and finding new ways to become the cyborg of her dreams.
maddy@smartnewtown.org.nzhttps://www.smartnewtown.org.nz/Trust Board
As a charitable organisation, we have a volunteer Board of Trustees. They steer our mahi and keep us accountable. If you’d like to contact the Board, or are interested in joining our Board, please contact us. A huge mihi to our current and former Board members.
Our board members
Tom Law
Peter Frater
Jane Patterson
Paul Forrest
Demeysa Ahmed
Kim Young
Funders
He mihi nui ki ō mātou kaitautoko – a huge acknowledgement to our funders, without them our mahi would not be possible! We also gratefully receive regular or one-off donations from our community: you can contribute here.
Venue hire
Te Whare Hapori o Ngā Puna Waiora / Newtown Community Centre is based in the centre of Newtown, on the corner of Colombo and Rintoul Streets, as well as operating other venues around the suburb. With seven affordable venues, with different capacity, style and function, we can provide the perfect space for your community event, party, class, hui or much more!
Book a venue