About Us
In our establishment years our early board members mortgaged their houses and purchased crayfish quota with the funds. Once the mortgages were paid off, the income received from leasing the crayfish quota annually provided us with our main source of operational income. It still does today.
In 2020 our Board established an endowment fund with HB Foundation. The aim of this is to provide financial security for our charity in the future as this fund steadily grows.
Annually we receive a grant from Ngāti Kahungunu iwi incorporated from income generated from the Ngāti Kahungunu fisheries settlement. As we have a private income source to cover operational expenses, we endeavour to give this grant money away each year to our marae and local events through targeted sponsorship.
Our Team
Board Members
Our Board of twelve are appointed by marae cluster elections every three years. It is important to note that we only speak for our charity entity based on our registered membership. We do not speak for marae and hapu. We fully support our marae and hapu of Wairoa District in expressing their own unique mana motuhake.
Our Board Members are currently listed below:
Nigel How
Naomi Wilson
Alice Wairau
Esta Wainohu
Henare Mita
Jasmine Heta
Katarena Edwards
Katarina Kawana
Merianne Tipoki Orlowski
Theresa Thornton
Our office reception staff who both job share are included below:
Danika Goldsack
Pita Walker-Robinson
Our charity is also supported by dedicated volunteers including Poutaka MWWL who assist with Wairoa Foodbank duties and other community projects.
Wairoa Taiwhenua is one of six taiwhenua affiliated to Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated (NKII). We provide some administrative support to NKII and inter-organization support and advocacy across our iwi.