The first day of December dawned on a special occasion for hauora Māori (Māori health) and for community and primary health services in our region - a dawn ceremony to bless the new premises for Māori healthcare provider Te Piki Oranga’s services at 199 Nayland Road.
The services are relocating from four sites in Bishopdale and Richmond to the renovated and refurbished building formerly known as ‘Otumarama’.
Starting in the dark under the stars as the ope (attendees) gathered outside the entrance, the event proceeded with karakia, waiata, whaikōrero and kai – prayer, songs, speeches and breakfast.
Notable speakers included Harvey Ruru, Barney Thomas and Shane Graham. As iwi leaders, they curated the blessing kaupapa, alongside Te Piki Oranga Tumuaki (General Manager) Anne Hobbby, Te Piki Oranga Chairperson Jane du Feu, Te Piki Oranga Pou Taki Carl Baker and other members of the leadership team.
As people were welcomed into the spic and span quadrangular building, they passed ‘Manu Ariki’ – a boulder of Tākaka marble gifted with its name to Te Piki Oranga by Jason and Jacinda Piggott.
The new site will open on 12 January 20 and will house all staff and services consolidated from the organisation’s offices and health hubs in Bishopdale and Richmond.
Te Piki Oranga has worked from its 281 Queen St tari (office) next to Richmond Health Hub for many years.
In 2024 a third Queen St premises was leased to host antenatal, maternity and early-years services – Te Puāwai he Kākano.
In Bishopdale, the Te Piki Oranga health hub is also a longstanding part of the community. It is a busy hub of preventative and primary health services, such as Te Hā smokefree coaching, Child and Adolescent Mental Health clinics, addictions counselling and teams of pūkenga manaaki (community support navigators) and pūkenga atawhai (registered nurses).
With its whānau rooms and clinical spaces, the new health hub will be able to house a birthing suite as an additional Te Puāwai he Kākano health service.
The other wings, which wrap around the central courtyard, are being refurbished into hauora clinics, whānau consultation rooms and offices.
With its gardens, spacious reception areas and large lounge and dining rooms, the building will more comfortably host wānanga (seminars), hui (meetings), hauora health days and other events.
Te Piki Oranga finalised its purchase of the premises in March this year and by May had started renovation.
The new health hub will enable the charitable trust to achieve its long-term strategic goals of improving service accessibility, quality of facilities and being able to respond to changing demographics and whānau needs.
Cost-efficiencies will come with the end of commercial leases in Bishopdale and Richmond. The consolidation of kaimahi and services will further enable cost-efficiencies, through reduced utilities bills, transport and venue hire, for example.
The Nelson and Richmond sites will start to close for relocation from 16 December and Te Piki Oranga in Stoke will open to the public from 12 January 2026.
To learn more about Te Piki Oranga, read the latest Te Puna Pānui newsletter and Annual Report online at www.tpo.org.nz
