For the first time in 40 years, the Napier Parents Centre will have a physical address when the new Plunket home is built in Onekawa later this year.
Operating since 1971, the Napier Parents Centre has provided pre and post birth classes for new parents and until now has relied on
class members to donate their own homes for lessons.
Napier Parents Centre ex-president Monique Goodson said a permanent base would be convenient and beneficial for new and expectant parents involved in the courses.
"It will be fantastic, everyone is excited to be involved in it as a support organisation for Plunket," she says. "We hope to get more people involved now, as parents will be going into Plunket for other things and will be able to become involved with us, too."
Parent Centre classes work on a "parents supporting parents" model and involve antenatal, early childhood and parenting education. The classes often evolve into coffee groups and lifelong friendships.
Classes are run by professionals, but facilitated by volunteers.
Classes include labour and birth, breastfeeding, preparing for new babies and conscious parenting.
After the new centre is completed, classes will be run out of the main conference boardroom.
Hawke's Bay Today has launched a campaign to raise the final $275,000 needed to build the $1.2 million "one-stop Plunket-shop".
Readers can donate at the Napier and Hastings front offices of Hawke's Bay Today. Or you can donate from your PC at home to Plunket's BNZ Bank account: 02-05000968501-00. Write "New Centre" in the reference line.
