May 2015: It was with that in mind that the James Willemsen Whānau Trust was founded. The Whānau Trust, established in July 2014 was set up with the help of friends who wanted to provide programmes that helped whānau learn to grow their own food, cook healthy meals and get fit and active. Te Arawa Whanau Ora sees partnering with existing community groups who are dedicated to the health and well-being of our whānau as a way of helping as many whānau as possible.

We knew that we had the right skills and saw how much joy whānau got out of growing their own maara kai, so we took that passion and turned it into something that would help families empower themselves”, explains John Willemsen.

The Trustees, who include qualified health and fitness professionals as well as experienced chefs, committed themselves to helping whānau who are struggling financially to ensure that they can participate and keep their tamariki well fed, active and warm.

“We found that while we could support families to grow their own food, not all were confident to cook meals using the fruit and veges they had in their gardens, so we began holding cooking classes to help whānau learn to cook delicious and healthy meals right from their gardens.”

Fitness is also an important component to the programmes that the Trust offers and reflects an holistic approach to supporting families.

“We have received support from Bunnings and The Warehouse as well as Gold’s Gym who are assisting training our volunteers. Receiving the support of Te Arawa Whānau Ora has been a blessing and has meant that we can continue to support whānau to find their own solutions.