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Diversity Counselling NZ’s positive impact reaches Tauranga

Diversity Counselling New Zealand (DCNZ) will positively impact Tauranga and the wider Western Bay of Plenty due to a recent community grant from TECT.Established in the Waikato region in 2013, DCNZ is a not-for-profit organisation committed to enhancing the lives of migrants and former refugees through culturally responsive counselling and promoting community well-being. It will now operate throughout Tauranga and the wider Western Bay of Plenty.Through offering home visits, telehealth, face-to...

Finalists announced for 2025 Western Bay Community Awards

The 2025 awards will be held at Holy Trinity Tauranga on Thursday, 20 March 2025....

Last chance to have say in TECT Election

Photo: Aerial view of Te Puna Quarry Park (Tourism BOP)...

Nominate for local Community Awards

The search is on to celebrate the exceptional work being done in our communities! Nominations are now open for the 2025 Western Bay Community Awards, providing a chance to recognise the outstanding individuals, groups, projects, initiatives and organisations that contribute to the Western Bay of Plenty’s vibrant for-purpose sector.This heartwarming event, in partnership with the Acorn Foundation, BayTrust, Tauranga City Council, TECT, and the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, will showca...

Stand Tall unlocks young entrepreneur’s potential

Photo: Otumoetai College YES students and Manaia at Mid Year Pitch event...

TECT Trustee Election Underway

The TECT Trustee Election is officially underway now that 150,000 locals across Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty have received voting letters over the last week. Until midday, Wednesday 30 October, eligible voters can have their say by casting an online vote to help shape the future direction of TECT.TECT is a community trust that provides funding for initiatives, facilities, and events throughout Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty to bring vibrancy, connectedness, growth, and economic benefit...

Voting opens this week for TECT Trustee Election

Voting for the 2024 TECT Trustee Election opens this week. All eligible voters living within the Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty are invited to have their say by voting for the candidates they believe will best represent their interests and guide the future of the Trust for the community.This year, nine candidates are standing for election to fill three available trustee positions. Trustees play a pivotal role in protecting and growing of the Trust’s capital base which allows the returns to...

Youth Voices Action empowers Bay of Plenty rangatahi

Youth Voices Action (YVA) is on a mission to empower young people across the Bay of Plenty by creating safe, inclusive spaces where rangatahi can be themselves, share their ideas, and make a real impact in their communities. Focused on youth-led initiatives, YVA ensures that every project and event reflects the true needs of the young people they meet.At the heart of YVA’s work is a commitment to fostering leadership and providing opportunities for youth to take charge of their future. Through...

Nominate for the 2025 Western Bay Community Awards

Photo: Live Well Waihi Beach, 2024 Winners of Sustainable Future Award...

SeniorNet bridging the digital divide

Tauranga SeniorNet Club is a dedicated community organisation that was launched in 1996. The club was created to bridge the digital divide for seniors through a team of passionate volunteers who provide a learning space and personalised coaching to help seniors master technology in their everyday lives.SeniorNet recognises the increasing importance of digital literacy in today’s world and has developed programmes to empower seniors with the skills needed to stay connected with family, friends,...

BOP Classic Aircraft Trust has it all

Photo Supplied: The main hangar at Classic Flyers NZ, focusing on the A4 Skyhawk which retired from the Royal New Zealand Air Force in the early 2000s....

Big Buddy volunteers show up and come back

Big Buddy Kevin and Little Buddy William. Photo Supplied....

Waipuna Hospice sustained by community support

Photo: Erin Goodhue and her Dad Grahame Benvie, who is a Waipuna Hospice patient....

Instep Programme connects youth to careers

Photo Supplied. Youth Leaders at Canvas Careers Expo....

Local organisation helps families get their happily ever after

Photo: Kidz Need Dadz Support Group Session (Image has been altered by AI to keep members identities private)....

Community support for House of Science is vital

Photo: Simon Ellis of Rotary Club Te Papa restocks part of a House of Science Kit....

Parafed Bay of Plenty leaving no one on the sidelines

For people born with physical disabilities and for those who develop one later in life through illness or injury, opportunities for many day-to-day tasks or activities are often limited. Since 2010, locals throughout Tauranga, Western Bay, and the wider Bay of Plenty region with physical disabilities have been given the opportunity to be physically active through the support and hard work of Parafed Bay of Plenty.Parafed BOP stands out by considering physical activity as a fundamental right...

Local Awards evening showcases hardworking community groups and volunteers

Mary Dillon, Lifetime Service Award Winner. Photo: Andrew Warner...

University of Waikato Tauranga campus scholarships celebrated

Four adult learners have won Acorn Foundation scholarships, twelve students were granted TECT First-in-Family awards, and nine students were awarded TECT Returning Student scholarships.On Monday evening, the students from the University of Waikato Tauranga campus celebrated their awards with their friends and family. These scholarships are provided by Acorn Foundation donors and by the trustees of TECT to help students afford the expenses of tertiary education.The first scholarship from Acorn wa...

Music therapy - legacy of accidental activist

Nate grinning as he plays the drum at the Auckland Centre....

Whānau cooking for whānau

Generous local community members are giving up their time, money, and resources to cook nutritious family meals to keep freezers well-stocked around Tauranga and Western Bay through the charity Kura Kai. Kura Kai was established in 2020 after Founder Makaia Carr was asked to put the ‘call out’ for volunteers to cook for her local school’s compassion freezer. Inspired by this idea, Carr decided this concept had value across the motu and created Kura Kai.  Based on quality, no...

Local MenzShed benefits local men and wider community

To onlookers, it is a simple shed. To local men of Katikati, it is a common space to gather with others with similar interests to create, build, learn, meet new people and chat.The key benefit of the Shed is having a purposeful space to gather. Although all ages are welcome, MenzShed’s main purpose is to give older, retired men a place to share skills, experiences, stories, laugh and offer support to each other in various and meaningful ways.The Katikati MenzShed also benefits the wider commun...

Everyone can do something to help others, no matter how big or small

Imagine seeing someone suffering, and rather than continuing with your day, deciding to do what you can to help. Liz Kite did that ten years ago when she noticed multiple homeless people in Tauranga CBD.Initially from a trestle table outside the Tauranga City Library, Liz gave home-cooked meals to whoever needed them. She continued to serve the city's homeless for two years before moving her meals to the Cliff Road Community Hall in 2016.With the capability and availability to do so and a passio...

Theatre helps the community thrive

Found in a 100-year-old former church building within Tauranga’s Historic Village, Detour Theatre is a space which offers many a sense of inclusion and belonging.With drama classes and regular shows on offer, Detour Theatre strives to be an affordable option for the community to ensure participation is available for those who will benefit from their classes or shows.Offering four plays a year, regular drama classes for children through to adults, and groups with special needs, Detour Theatre f...

TECT supports Summer Lifeguarding across the Western Bay

Lined with beautiful coastlines and endless beaches and bays, the Western Bay of Plenty attracts thousands of beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers.With beautiful coastal areas comes the need for surf lifeguard patrols to ensure everyone using the beach and water makes it home safely.Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) has been saving lives for over a century, with 4,500 volunteer surf lifeguards patrolling over 90 beaches annually. Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty are home to six Surf Life S...