Vision
A vibrant connected community where every person reaches their God-given potential.
Mission
To transform lives by giving hope for the future, and respecting the unique mana of each person from a Christian perspective.
Purpose
Neighbourhood Trust is the community arm of St Albans Baptist Church. Our purpose is to partner in transforming lives to bring out the God-given treasure in us all.
Our Values
People matter: personal worth, respect
Walking alongside: empowerment, equipping
Making lasting connections: whanau
Our History
Neighbourhood Trust was formed in 1999 as the community arm of the St Albans Baptist Church to serve the Mairehau, St Albans, and Shirley communities in Christchurch.
Our collaborative programmes, classes, and initiatives help to strengthen and create connections, provide support, and build on strengths.
Whether it is parents needing after school child care; elderly residents seeking companionship; or newcomers and migrants wanting to build new connections or improve their English – our dedicated staff and volunteers work to facilitate and build a sense of community. Ultimately, we want to give people hope for the future.
Neighbourhood Trust was actively involved in the community following the February 2011 earthquakes. We worked with the Papanui/Innes Community Board to distribute information around the St Albans, Mairehau, Shirley and Richmond areas, and hosted the Towards Recovery series. The series was held to bring community groups together to share their earthquake stories and priorities for the recovery such as home heating; transport; access to services and information; and sharing community spaces.
In 2014, Neighbourhood Trust established the Pay It Forward store as a community development and social enterprise business.
We also keep the Mairehau community well informed through our monthly publication: The Mairehau.
Our Team
We have a passionate and dedicated team of staff and volunteers who ensure the smooth day-to-day running of the Neighbourhood Trust and its community programmes, activities, and events.
Trudy Hedges
Kim Button
Roana Johnstone
Lee Arthur
Angela Sanderson
Kim Strange
Christine Arnold
Don Benn
Trudy Hedges (interim)
Beth Millar
Our Board
Neighbourhood Trust is governed by a Board of volunteers who meet monthly to provide strategic direction and oversee the running of the organisation. Currently, our Board members are:
Leanna Dodge
Graham Collinswood
Tony Norriss
Alan Bastin
Ruth Davies
John Alpe