Once again, the awesome team from Henderson Rotary Club are helping to support their local community by mobilising an army of volunteers to breathe new life into the stormwater pond area at Waitākere Hospital. The Rotary volunteers can see the potential of this area to become a comforting and nurturing outdoor space for patients, staff and visitors to the hospital.

Established in 1960, Henderson Rotary Club has provided generous support to many of our projects over the years, helping to fund equipment such as an Echo Cardiogram, Medella Billibed and Transport Incubator. They have also supported community projects such as our Mobile Health Clinics and recent efforts to provide maternity ‘sleeping chairs’ for support people to stay over in hospital with new mums and babies. The Club is also a partner on the Special Care Baby Unit Expansion and Upgrade project at Waitākere Hospital. In total, over the years Henderson Rotary has donated over $60,000 to Well Foundation and Waitematā District Health Board initiatives.

The Pond is located in the North-Eastern corner of the hospital grounds and every weekend from 3rd October 2020, volunteers will be on site during their own time, to help bring this space to life. Clearing overgrown and unkempt bushes and trees and replacing with carefully selected flora will create a welcoming space as well as creating an enticing view for patients and staff looking out towards the Pond area from the Hospital itself.

Using the services of a landscape designer, Henderson Rotary have devised a plan to create a park like atmosphere around the pond, screening out Woodford Cottage Greenhouses beyond the site, to encourage use of the outdoor space.

The team also hope to fund new seating and lighting in the area so that visitors to the Pond feel welcome and safe while enjoying the peaceful setting of being amongst nature.

This exciting project is expected to take 6 weeks to complete, ending mid-November, when we will celebrate the opening of a reinvigorated space for all to enjoy.

We are so thankful to our friends at Henderson Rotary Club for once again supporting our hospital in a meaningful and impactful way – we couldn’t do this without their support!

A special thank you to the following community supporters without whom this project would not be possible!

SSL Civil and Drainage, Hirepool, GHL, Securo, Auckland Landscape Services Ltd, Lissa Photography, Henderson Hire