On Monday 23 March, about 40-50 gathered at the new Visionwest Home Healthcare office in Rotorua for an official opening ceremony. It was a moment rich with meaning, history and hope for what lies ahead.
This opening marked the culmination of a long journey for our Rotorua Home Healthcare team. After making do with very humble facilities for some time, the team has now moved into a beautifully fitted-out space on the site of Rotorua Baptist Church – a place that feels deeply aligned with who we are and how we work. Wherever possible, we have sought to grow alongside our Baptist friends and faith communities as we serve whānau where they are.
Visionwest Rotorua Office is officially opened
Before we get to the proceedings of this event, moments like this do not happen without a lot of behind-the-scenes mahi. Shout out to B.J. for her hosting and karanga to start the event; to Sarah Van’t Hof for the huge coordinating efforts in the leadup to the opening and on the day itself; and to the Operations and Marketing & Partnerships teams for their great mahi getting the buildings branded, fit out and functional. Your care, organisation and attention to detail helped create a gathering that truly reflected the heart of Visionwest.
- The ceremony itself was framed beautifully by Ray Totorewa, who both opened and closed proceedings with a mihi whakatau, waiata and himene that grounded the gathering in wairua and unity. A heartfelt prayer was also offered by Angus Budge, pastor of Rotorua Baptist Church, acknowledging both the work already done and the kaupapa ahead.
- Maliena Jones, Chairperson of the Visionwest Trust Board, spoke powerfully about the extraordinary personal care delivered every day by our Rotorua support workers. Her words reminded us why our Home Healthcare slogan rings so true: “When it comes to care, there’s no place like home.”
- Maliena was followed by our CEO Lisa Woolley, who reflected on the origin story of Visionwest Home Healthcare. What began years ago with Glen Eden Baptist Church recognising the deep isolation and loneliness experienced by many elderly and disabled people in their community, grew when a church member responded to a Request for Proposal for Home Healthcare services. At the time, no one could have imagined that this simple act of noticing and responding would one day lead to the opening of a Home Healthcare office in Rotorua.
- Next, our Tumu Matua Fred Astle shared deeply personal reflections from his own life and from those he knows, speaking to the profound impact of having the right support, in your home, at the time you need it. There was a palpable sense in the room as Fred – alongside others – acknowledged just how right it feels to be located within this church setting, and how aligned this is with Visionwest’s heart and whakapapa.
- Murray Penman, Director of Health Services, spoke about the significant level of need in Rotorua and the passion and resilience of the local Home Healthcare team. He reflected on how the team had “made do” with limited space in the early days, and how meaningful it is to now have a whare that properly supports nursing staff, coordinators and support workers together under one roof. This new office represents a key area of growth for Visionwest in a region where the need is great and continuing to grow.
Tumu Fred Astle speaks at the opening event
It was especially encouraging to have nursing staff present in their new uniforms, alongside coordinators and support workers who came to celebrate both this milestone and the early beginnings of further growth in the area. We were also pleased to have a few of our new friends attending from Korowai Aroha, a Māori nursing service experiencing strong growth in Rotorua.
This Rotorua opening stands as a powerful reminder of how far Visionwest Home Healthcare has come – and of the people, faith and community partnerships that continue to shape where we are heading next.
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For more information on the breadth of our In-Home Healthcare work, please check out our page.
https://visionwest.org.nz/home-healthcare/