Hawke’s Bay Women’s Refuge fundraising appeal: New office brings agency out of the shadows

In late February 2024, Hawke’s Bay Today partnered with Women’s Refuge/Family VIP Services in Hawke’s Bay to help build a new public office and move the vital organisation out of the shadows and into the spotlight. For 30 years, the group worked with vulnerable clients out of safehouses and temporary office spaces, sometimes propping up their desks with cinder blocks and plywood. On Tuesday, staff finally had a place to call their own. Mitchell Hageman reports.

Anyone who’s seen the difference Hawke’s Bay Women’s Refuge/Family VIP Services makes in the community would agree that staff were long overdue to move into their new Hastings premises.

After years of working with family violence clients and community groups out of the perceived “secrecy” and cramped conditions of safehouses and rentals, they finally moved into their new front office on Tuesday.

Subsequently, the moving-in day fell on manager Julie Hart’s 30th anniversary with the organisation.

“We’ve worked out of the most make-do spots for 30 years of my time, so it’s great having this new space,” she said.

Hawke's Bay Women's Refuge/Family VIP Services manager Julie Hart reflects on the progress as she stands in the organisation's new Hastings office. Photo / Warren Buckland

The dusty shells of timber framing and barren concrete floors that lined the old department store cafeteria have been transformed. Now, there is ample space to connect, collaborate, and be together in a safe space.

“The whole team loves it. They came up this morning without seeing anything, which was a complete surprise,” Hart said.

“The best thing is that we can invite people in because we couldn’t do that before. Because we were running out of safehouses, we had to keep the confidentiality of the people who were in there.”

Hart said being in a central Hastings location allowed them to further foster connections with partner agencies, including police and health services.

“As we were moving in and meeting the neighbours, we found Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga were based nearby, so we’re looking forward to networking with them.

“We might join together to do some cooking classes so their clients and our clients can do it together.”

Hawke’s Bay Today readers also contributed to the project’s success.

We published a range of stories that explored work done by teams on the ground and the real-life experiences of those who used the service, with a call to donate on each one.

Readers helped raise $2400, and also offered things like furniture and support to get it across the line.

A Family VIP Services spokeswoman said the campaign had raised the eyes of the community towards it in the form of public awareness of the services it offered.

The money raised through fundraising helped pay for the completion of the building and the purchase of cooking equipment and supplies.

“Not a cent has been wasted, that’s for sure,” Hart said.

Now, the refuge’s focus is on awareness and making the point that the door to the Hastings office was open for anyone needing support.

“We’ll market what we can do up here for clients and the community for networking and get that really good community collaboration going,” Hart said.

“There should be someone here 8.30am-5pm Monday to Friday. People just have to come and say they’d like to chat with someone, and we’ll find the right person to help them.”

How to donate

QR code — Train your phone camera on the graphic above

Website — Familyvip.org.nz

Bank account — 06 0701 0562989 03; please use the reference “HBToday”

Email contact — fundraising@familyvip.org.nz

Phone — Bronwyn Harman on 021 877 903

Do you need help?

If you’re in danger now:

• Phone the police via 111 or ask neighbours or friends to ring for you.
• Run outside and head to where there are other people.
• Scream for help so that your neighbours can hear you.
• Take the children with you.
• Don’t stop to get anything else.
• If you are being abused, remember it’s not your fault. Violence is never okay.
• Women’s Refuge: A free national crisis line operates 24/7 — 0800 Refuge or 0800 733 843. Website: womensrefuge.org.nz.

Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in January 2023. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.