About Us

INTRODUCTION

Future Te Aroha is a charitable trust set up to purchase the former Bendon Building for community and cultural use. Te Aroha is a small town, with amazing potential to become a major tourist destination as it once was.

Te Aroha Centre is situated next to the domain behind the Te Aroha Motel. The theme for the centre is Aroha, (Maori for "love".) We show this by telling our stories and creating events and activities which we share with visitors to the building.

We are the home to Te Aroha's Red Cross who meet the first Friday in the month, and also to Te Aroha's Womens institute who meet on the last Thursday of every month.

The Centre is also a place to meet new friends and to get together for:
Performances, Events, Seminars/Conferences, Workshops, Meetings & Celebrations
Opening hours for the centre are:
Tues-Fri, 10am-3pm for visitors
Mon-Thurs, 3.30pm-5.30pm for after-school activities.
Please see HOME
for information about special events. 

MISSION STATEMENT

To work inclusively and in partnership with the people and organisations, urban and rural, that comprise the community of Te Aroha, to create opportunities for skills, both actual and potential, to be used to maximum economic and social advantage within the area.

OBJECTIVES

To establish a community and cultural centre in Te Aroha
To establish the Aroha Theme in all the activities run by the centre.
To Undertake educational activities, after-school classes, workshops and seminars which promote healthy living, Aroha in the family and community and enhance the skill base of the people of Te Aroha
To promote a community resource for the shared equipment and skills.
To promote the activities, talents and skills of the members of the community through community events and activities.
To contact and work with existing and future organisations with similar objects to pursue common goals.

Aims of Objectives

To create and develop a community resource for education, learning programmes, community and cultural activities for the wider community.

To work in partnership with the community.

HISTORY
Te Aroha Centre is the former Bendon Building which housed 100 people all busy sewing. Today, it has a totally different purpose.
The premises now reflects the love and laughter of all those who visit there for a short time or on an on-going basis.
Bendon agreed to sell the premises to Future Te Aroha, a charitable trust, for $67,500. After much fund-raising and assistance from a bevy of institutions we made the full purchase price.

The Centre was officially opened by Judtih Tizard on November 23rd 2001, starting off a month-long Aroha festival in which we celebrated "who we are". The theme for the building is Aroha for ourselves, our family and our community. Te Aroha Centre tries to depict this through as many mediums as possible through the telling of our stories.

We acknowledge the name of our mountain and all who live in its proximity. Te Aroha is filled with very many wonderful people of all ages and we invite you along to meet some of them and to listen to our stories

OUR STAFF

LYNNE RENWICK QSM
Centre Manager & Head of ACTA
Lynne Renwick has a vast experience in theatre. She also holds Diplomas in Economics and Businesses Management. She is co-author of the educational book Drama Starter and has many awards and accolades to her name. Recent achievements include winning the Inaugural award for services to the arts and receiving a grant to fly to Australia for research appertaining to economic development of small towns.

TONI GARSON:

Junior ACTA Tutor & Director & Production Assistant
Toni has attended ACTA classes since the age of 6 and is now a year 13 student preparing to go to university to study Drama.

BAILEE FOULDS:
Junior ACTA Tutor & Director & Production Assistant