It has been 27 years since the Paul Hunter Centre was established in Waipukurau, and this month staff, volunteers and clients put on a surprise party for the manager who has just ticked over 25 of those years — Katrina Jamieson.
The centre was established by a group of community-minded individuals in 1994, to support people with mental health conditions, physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities, or ongoing health conditions.
It was dubbed the CHB Disability Resource Centre and was based at the old Waipukurau hospital in the Paul Hunter ward.
The name change came about when the centre was moved to its current premises — the old Waipukurau police station in River Terrace. After approaching the Hunter family, it was decided to be renamed the Paul Hunter Centre.
Paul Hunter Centre clients come from throughout CHB and the centre has two fulltime staff, five part-time staff and a group of seven volunteers who support the clients to lead everyday lives.
The centre is governed by a group of eight executive committee members, comprising staff, family, client representatives and members of the community.
Manager Katrina Jamieson had moved back to Central Hawke's Bay after finishing university and was working in a supermarket role and looking at other jobs, when it was suggested she apply for the job at the Paul Hunter Centre.
"I was blown away when I got the job," she says.
"I was only 22 and the centre was fairly new. There was a lot of admin in those first years, structures, policies and procedures. There was a lot of getting to know people — clients as well as committee members and volunteers."
The main objective of the Paul Hunter Centre is to enable people to have a good life — to participate in activities, services, and facilities that are part of the daily lives of New Zealanders. Cooking, interacting with people in the community, arts and crafts, sports, going to the gym, and digital technology are just some of what the centre offers, and the community participation has clients linking with other local services for sporting and social activities, community engagement and progression towards volunteering or work opportunities.
Many clients do not have their own transport so the Paul Hunter Centre provides transport for community outings, sport and recreational activities, coffee clubs, visits with other community services, staff and volunteer training seminars and networking opportunities, the daily pickup to and from the centre and much more.
For Katrina, one of the major challenges of her job is to source additional funding, which, along with an annual government contract, keeps the centre and its activities running. When it came to celebrating her 25 years of hard work, Katrina's colleagues and friends, along with Paul Hunter Centre clients, committee and volunteers, couldn't let it pass by without a surprise party.
Katrina, suitably surprised, said the 25 years had come around quite fast.
"It has flown by. The people here are the best part of the job and why I am still here 25 years on.
"The clients and their families, staff and volunteers and our amazing executive committee."
