Kia ora koutou,
As I write this with the sun shining and the Christmas carols sounding out across malls and supermarkets, I have to say, its beginning to look and sound a lot like Christmas!
2023 has been a massive year for us. Big Rock #1 (The new Trust Deed) is in place and is a huge tick in the box for us. Big Rock #2 (Co-design) is well underway and we are now working to navigate it forward under the new Government. Big Rock #3 (New operational model) is advancing positively and we are currently planning the pilot phase. Big Rock #4 (Centres to join Playcentre Aotearoa) is contingent upon Big Rocks #2 and #3 and preparatory work is well underway in anticipation of positive outcomes for both of those. Big Rock #5 (New revenue streams) is being worked on with a number of options identified and Big Rock #6 (Business As Usual) is all about keeping the shop open, compliant, welcoming and attractive as we build for the future and that is being done each and every day across the motu.
We achieved fantastic support from the previous Government with a positive result of $3m from the emergency grant application we submitted. We completely revamped our Education offering in line with the feedback I received when I first joined and we had outstanding results from our Open Week, Volunteer Week, Messy Play Week, Matariki and Māori Language Week campaigns. We have developed and deployed a new finance system to better support our current and future needs and run our first Trustee election on the “one whānau, one vote” basis. Those are just some examples of what we have done together and I could list many, many more.
All of these exciting achievements have been made possible because our volunteers and staff worked positively together for the whānau and tamariki we serve.
From all my visits to our Centres and offices around the motu, I know how hard everyone has worked this year and I want to say a big thank you to everyone for all you have done.
We have set ourselves up in the best possible way for 2024 and our ongoing ki te pae tawhiti journey to distant horizons. No doubt we will face some new challenges along the way but I am convinced that we will achieve even more next year than we have this year and I am very excited about that!
In the meantime, we all deserve a great break to reflect and re-energize for the New Year. Wherever you will be, whatever you will be doing and whom ever you will be with over the summer break, I do hope you will have a fantastic time of fun and enjoyment, peace and relaxation and a deep sense of personal satisfaction with the progress we have made this year and the part you have played in it.
I look forward to seeing as many of you as I can in 2024.
Meri Kirihimete me te Tau Hou
David Moger, Chief Executive