ABOUT US

The Takapuna North Community Trust supports community development from Hauraki corner to Sunnynook. Our mission is to ensure all members of our community love where they live.

We are supported by the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board and Auckland Council. Our trustees are volunteers. We employ a Trust Manager, Natasha Geo, and her fantastic team including Grace Samuelson - Events Coordinator, and Tabitha Becroft - Environmental Coordinator. Tabitha also leads our Pupuke Birdsong Project.

The Trust provides community development services on a local level from Hauraki Corner to Sunnynook, east of State Highway 1. There are two community trusts providing services to the community in the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board area. The Devonport Community Coordinator and Devonport Peninsula Trust support the area south of Hauraki.

What do we do?

Set up in 2006 to support and promote the wellbeing of the communities of Takapuna; the Takapuna North Community Trust supports community development in the Northern suburbs of Devonport Takapuna Local Board; from Hauraki corner to Sunnynook.

Our mission is to ensure all members of our community love where they live.

We employ four permanent part-time staff to deliver a range of community events and programmes and to coordinate the local pest eradication and restoration programme, Pupuke Birdsong Project. Our range of programmes and events include (but aren’t limited to):

SUMMER AND WINTER FUN: This is our longest running community engagement programme and offers free preschool play in our local parks (or indoor venues over winter) twice a week. This programme is a valuable opportunity for parents and caregivers to connect to make new friends.

THE ACTIVE AGEING EXPO is a collaboration with Age Concern. The event brings together around 40 stalls from local older adult-led community groups and clubs who are keen to gain new members and sees around 700 visitors who come to learn more about what’s available to them in the local area.

CHARLIE’S PLAY DATE is a celebration of inclusiveness at Takapuna Playground. The first event happened in 2017 when a local mother posted on Facebook about her awful experience of being told by other parents at Takapuna Playground that her son with cerebral palsy was too scary to be there. There was a great outpouring of community support and we decided to hold an inclusive play date for Charlie, to celebrate diversity, at the playground which has been really well attended each year.

INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUE: brings students from our five local high schools together older adults to discuss local issues and to try to resolve them through community led activities.

THE YOUNG DESIGNERS AND CREATOR’S MARKET: is a youth led event which came about as a result of Intergenerational Dialogue and is aimed at encouraging connection through creativity. Two youth markets have been held at Smales Farm with around 30 stall holders at each.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING WORKSHOPS are offered both online and in person which enable us to continue with a level of programme provision during lockdowns. These workshops include Growing food in small spaces which is tailored for our growing apartment community as well as workshops teaching composting; avoiding food waste; backyard chicken keeping and waste free parenting.

PUPUKE BIRDSONG PROJECT is a community-led initiative, umbrellaed by Takapuna North Community Trust, that aims to bring together, support and grow the network of volunteer groups, individuals, schools and organisations working to eradicate pests, help improve water quality and restore our local native habitats in the Northern suburbs of the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board area. The Trust employs the Environmental Coordinator and oversees the funding and operational support of the project.

In addition to our events and environmental activities, the Trust offers opportunities for community networking and information sharing; we act as umbrella funders for groups without the necessary charitable status; we advocate for local community groups and provide community event support.

Click here to read our Annual Report

Click the picture above to read our Annual Report

How can we help?

Takapuna North Community Trust partners with Devonport-Takapuna Local Board to provide community development and a variety of programmes, events and projects in the Takapuna North area. We support individuals at a neighbourhood level as well as a wide variety of community groups by:

Providing advice and/or assistance with funding and promotion
Sharing news and raising awareness of important community issues
Connecting people with relevant Auckland Council staff and others in the community
Providing the community with a voice and supporting emerging new initiatives
We run a number of local community programmes and events to help create a sense of belonging and connectedness and to promote our open spaces, heritage, environment and communities.

Testimonials

“Hi Sarah - from the bottom of my heart a huge thank you for the opportunity of participating in the Intergenerational Dialogue held recently - I really enjoyed the day talking to such amazing people. Thank you seems so inadequate - the effort you and your team put into the day was awesome. The world is a better place because of people like you in it.” - Marilyn Glover QSM

"The Takapuna North Community Trust and Takapuna Community Coordinator have been a huge support to Younite (the Devonport-Takapuna Youth Board). Together we've been able to work on connecting with youth from across the community, and their help has been invaluable for hearing about and working on activities and issues that youth care about." - Freddie Voit. Younite

"The TNCT has always been very supportive of the Sunnynook Community Association. The Trust has been instrumental in ensuring the goals of the SCA are achieved through helping with advice and on the ground support, and most importantly help funding many of our projects. Having a supportive community is what makes volunteering worthwhile." - Tabitha Becroft, Sunnynook Community Association and Lyford Reserve Restoration

"I started my project in late 2013 and had a clear goal of what I wanted to achieve, but as it progressed I floundered a bit, not knowing how to finalize everything. Fortunately I attended one of Takapuna North Community Trusts Network meetings and found that they could assist me organizing funding, Council approval, brochure printing, payments etc. Sarah Thorne was invaluable in assisting my project and if there is one thing that I regret, it is not approaching her and the Trust earlier. I highly recommend their assistance if you are organizing a local project." - Gavin Sheehan, Project Coordinator, Takapuna/Milford/Forrest Hill WW1 Street Name Plaques + Heritage Trail

"I met Sarah when I returned to Auckland from Vancouver in 2017 and was keen to start a weekly boogie session in Takapuna. Sarah immediately helped me set up a Facebook page and decide where and when to begin Sal's Boogie Sessions. We also worked with other Older People's Networks and I took part in the Intergenerational and other Exhibitions. I cannot adequately express what a blessing Sarah's enthusiasm, intelligence, generous time sharing and humour has been and is to our Takapuna community." - Sally-Ann Rose-Innes, Super Sal's Boogie Session

Milford Residents Association has huge respect for Sarah Thorne and the Takapuna North Community Trust and appreciates the significant work they do in our local community. Over the years, the Trust has regularly contributed enthusiasm and practical help for Association events like our Wairau Estuary community clean-ups and our Auckland Heritage Festival exhibitions. We value the way Sarah brings community groups together through informal networks. An example of what can result is the inspirational North Shore Birdsong Project which grew out of the Takapuna North Environmental Network fostered by Sarah and the Trust. Debbie Dunsford and Norma Bott, Milford Residents Association