Back to Blog

Over $57K donated through TECT rebates

TECT beneficiaries have given back over $57,000 to our community since July 2019 by donating their TECT rebate to the Acorn Foundation Vital Impact Fund. The fund invests donations, and interest earned from this investment is distributed each year to deserving Western Bay community organisations - so donations can keep growing and giving forever. Community groups supported by the fund this year include Sustainability Options, Grief Support Services, KidsCan Charitable Trust and St Peter's House....

Ultimate Fun Fest to celebrate TECT Park’s 10th year

Come and celebrate the tenth birthday at TECT Park in style. Western Bay of Plenty District and Tauranga City councils invite everyone to the TECT Park Ultimate Fun Fest on Saturday, 28 November for an extravaganza of free fun, entertainment, activities and birthday celebrations. Pack a picnic, grab a chair, torch and some cash – and join in on what is a jam-packed event with a day and night session. From 10am until 3pm there’s the annual Mud Dog Run, bouncy castle, pony rides, face painti...

Big Buddy now in Tauranga Helping Change Fatherless Boys' Lives

Boys without dads can miss out on a lot of things in life.  A role model to look up to, a guide towards manhood, and that special father-son bond. The long-term effects of this can be devastating, impacting a boy's development and the man they grow up to be. From social problems and low self-esteem, to poor academic performance and criminal behaviours, these boys can miss out on the opportunity to reach their full potential. It estimated that in Tauranga, there are around 500 to 700 father...

Te Puke Cricket Club

Established in 1886, the Te Puke Cricket Club has a long history in our region. As one of the most highly regarded and well-utilised cricketing venues in the Bay of Plenty, the Club caters for players young and old at all levels of play, with junior teams, a premier team, a senior reserve team and 16 social teams. The Club recently completed refurbishments on their pavilion at Te Puke Domain. The work included rebuilding the deck, adding some tiered grandstand seating, extending the club rooms,...

Omokoroa Pavilion Officially Opens

Community collaboration is being praised as the driving force for Omokoroa’s new $1.6 million sports pavilion turning from a dream into a reality. The purpose-built two-storey facility (1050m2) was officially opened this morning by Western Bay Mayor Garry Webber and Omokoroa Sports and Recreation Society Chair Richard Gerrish at the Western Avenue Recreation Reserve. The pavilion will be home base for the Omokoroa Sport and Recreation Society and it is also the new temporary location for Weste...

Shakti Supports and Empowers Ethnic Women

There have been numerous support systems established and expanded in response to Covid-19 and the lockdown. From wage subsidies and redundancy payments, to counselling and domestic abuse support, our country has responded quickly to ensure we survive the financial and mental toll of a worldwide pandemic. But in this time of crisis, many migrant women have been further marginalised. Women without permanent residency who are in abusive relationships have been one of the most highly impacted group...

Youth Encounter

Quintin White has come a long way since the start of the year. The 15-year-old was on the brink of moving to Alternative Education after struggling in school earlier this year. He knew back then that it wasn’t where he was meant to be and he needed to change. To help him get back on track, Quintin was referred to Youth Encounter – a charity that helps young people reach their full potential through dirt bike therapy, mentoring, camps and leadership courses. When he first joined their eight-w...

TECT Park

Lockdown taught us to appreciate many things; time spent with family, our healthcare workers, and the little things in life that bring us joy. It was also a reminder of just how important the great outdoors is for our wellbeing, and how lucky we are in the Western Bay to be surrounded by beautiful beaches, tracks, and bush to enjoy it. While TECT Park was closed during lockdown, with some restrictions as we moved down the levels, it is now back open – and busier than ever. TECT Park Operation...

Merivale Community Garden

We all know we should eat our fruit and vegetables. But Merivale Community Garden is teaching our community the many benefits of growing them too. Merivale Community Garden was established back in 2012 when an empty section on the corner of Fraser Street and Alverstoke Road was made available by Housing New Zealand. Where there once was nothing but a concrete slab and plenty of flax, now is a thriving garden filled with cabbage, kale, silverbeet, butter beans, celery, rhubarb and more. And it�...

Community Groups Receive $177,600 in Covid-19 Recovery Funding

The WBOP COVID-19 Recovery Fund has paid out an additional $177,600 in funding to local community groups struggling with increased demand or income shortfall due to Covid-19. The successful recipients include Youth Search and Rescue, BOP Classic Aircraft Trust, AphasiaNZ, Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service, Shakti Ethnic Women’s Support Group, The Boys Brigade NZ, Families Achieving Balance, Live for More, and Big Buddy Mentoring. The Recovery Fund aims to support key Western Bay NFPs and NGOs ...

Sport Bay of Plenty - Water Safety Strategy

As an island nation, our beaches, rivers and lakes provide ample opportunity to swim, play and participate in water sports. These are all part of the quintessential Kiwi lifestyle. But with this comes an increased risk of accidents, unpredictable conditions and currently, a lack of skills to navigate these. Drowning is the number one cause of recreational deaths in New Zealand, and the Bay of Plenty has the fourth-highest regional drowning rate in the country. Each one of these deaths is a lif...

Tauranga Budget Advisory Service

Thousands in our community are struggling financially right now. Whether they have lost their job, business is dwindling, or debts are racking up, the post-lockdown climate has left many unsure of where to turn for help. One local charity working to support people through their tough financial circumstances is Tauranga Budget Advisory Service (TBAS). They provide a number of services including free, one-on-one financial mentoring, advocacy, support, negotiation with creditors, debt management to...

Graeme Dingle Foundation Builds Children's Resilience

Life has thrown us a few curveballs this year. But for many children across the region, school closures, social restrictions and family job losses have impacted their wellbeing, with some at risk of lasting psychological distress. The Graeme Dingle Foundation is helping 3,500 of those children stay resilient, teaching them that what they have inside is greater than any obstacle, even when that obstacle is a global pandemic. Their programmes use elements of the great outdoors, inspirational class...

Living With Complex Chronic Illnesses a Daily Battle

There are tears in Arlene Olson’s eyes as she describes the past few years she’s been through. “My mother died, then my sister and brother in law died, I got diagnosed with my illnesses, and now I could be losing my job because of that.” Arlene was diagnosed in June with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, and Fibromyalgia. They’re not well known, but they are lifelong conditions that are often debilitating, and invisible to the world. Arlene has lived with them for a...

Nominations for 2021 TECT Community Awards Open

The TECT Community Awards are back for 2021 with nominations opening on Tuesday 1 September 2020. The 2020 TECT Community Awards wrapped up early last month after a six-week online showcase of finalists and winners. The 2021 Awards will be hosted both online and with an awards night at Baycourt in March. TECT Chairperson Bill Holland says the awards will recognise the hard work of community groups and volunteers, celebrating their work with the wider public and with a memorable awards night. “...

Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service Stay Afloat with Funding

Cancelled weddings, a decline in business bookings, and postponed private functions – it’s a fate many venues have had to face since lockdown. But for charities that rely on such bookings to fund their service, it’s been a major blow, one requiring some tough decisions in order to survive. Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service counts on its venue bookings and grants to fund their operational costs. During the lockdown, all bookings had to be cancelled, and funding from trusts dried up. To hel...

Pillans Point School

With the growing use of technology, children are spending more and more time in front of screens and less time out in nature. One school that is helping kids get back to basics with nature is Pillans Point School. After conducting research at the school, they found most children could not name common plants and herbs such as mint, chives, raspberries, pohutukawa, and kowhai trees, and had limited knowledge past common insects such as spiders and bees. With the help of TECT funding, Pillans Poin...

The Struggle of Survival for Major Events in the Western Bay

It has been a difficult time for most industries around the country. But for those working in the events industry, the lockdowns have left them in the lurch with sunk costs and commitments that need to be paid, whether the event goes ahead or not. From the National Jazz Festival and the TECT National Sevens which were cancelled, to the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships and the Festival of Disability Sport which were postponed, the range of complexities and uncertainties of running large-scale...

Te Puna Memorial Hall

The new Te Puna Memorial Hall officially opened in August 2020. The former Hall was built in 1922 in memory of the Te Puna men who died on active service, and those who served and returned from World War One and World War Two. In 2016, it had to be demolished to make way for the new Te Puna Road/SH2 roundabout. Four years later and the new building stands today, featuring a slightly larger footprint, with a larger kitchen, two meeting rooms, a supper room and archive room. Located close to where...

Brain Injured Children Trust Continues Therapy

No parent wants to watch their child struggle. But for those parents with children who have sustained a brain injury, struggles are an expected, and heart-breaking part of their everyday reality. The anguish, stress and guilt that comes with seeing your child unable to reach expected milestones, unable to walk, talk, or play, is something no parent wants to go through. But for 28 families in the Western Bay who experience this daily battle, a local charity is helping provide the practical, finan...

Bay Conservation Alliance

We are lucky in the Western Bay to be surrounded by beautiful beaches, lush native bush, and outlying islands, filled with flora and fauna for us to discover and enjoy. Many groups in the region work to ensure this natural environment is restored and conserved, preserving our taonga now and for generations to come. During lockdown, all on the ground conservation work had to stop. While this created some tension for community conservation groups who were worried that they couldn't attend to regu...

The Happy Puku Provide Nutritious Meals to Those in Need

The Happy Puku has delivered over 3400 meals to those in need since the lockdown started. From families in transitional housing to vulnerable individuals unsure where their next meal will come from, the nutritious kai has been a lifeline; not only keeping tummies full, but providing a much-needed gesture of connection.  Established two years ago, The Happy Puku aims to teach people who have experienced homelessness how to ‘grow a kai, catch a kai and cook a kai’, providing opportunities...

YSAR Adapt Post-lockdown with Online Learning

A new online learning system currently in development will allow YSAR to remain resilient in a post-Level 4 lockdown world filled with uncertainties. The non-profit organisation aims to enable young people to develop the skills necessary to participate and become active volunteers in emergency response organisations. Their three-year training programme consists of outdoor education, search, rescue and emergency response methodologies, and leadership and incident management. YSAR Co-founder and ...

Lex Spencer Wins Lifetime Service Award in TECT Community Awards

Lex Spencer has been announced as the winner of the Lifetime Service Award in the TECT Community Awards. A lifelong volunteer for over 60 years, with 7 of those in Tauranga, Lex freely shares his time and knowledge of cycling with the community. Fixing bikes for Waipuna Hospice, Travel Safe, Salvation Army and others across the community at no cost, has earned him the monikers ‘Mr Fix It’ and the ‘crazy bike guy’. Lex first got into fixing bikes for students in the Kids Can Ride Cycle p...

Bryce Dinneen Wins Volunteer of the Year in TECT Community Awards

Bryce Dinneen has been announced as Volunteer of the Year in the TECT Community Awards for his work creating opportunities for disabled and disadvantaged people. The former Tauranga Boys College student is well known in the region as an inspirational mentor and voice for disabled people to live a purposeful and fulfilled life. After suffering a high-level spinal injury from a shallow diving accident at the age of 29, Bryce was left with only 4% function. During his rehabilitation, Bryce though...