Just how did it all happen?
Raetihi Early Childhood Education Trust
The Centre was named after Nancy Winter, one of the first ECE teachers
in Raetihi, and she was an important person in our community
who received the Queen's service medal.
st Tariana Turia officially opened the Centre on the 1 of April 2007.
Would you like to read Tariana Turia's speech from opening of the Nancy Winter Early Childcare Centre?
In 2005 the Raetihi Pre-school closed leaving a gap in general stream Early Childhood Education for our community. The then chair of the Raetihi Primary School, Jamie Proude and Acting Principal Robin Olds, initiated discussion with the Ministry of Education re the establishment of a new centre. This was to be sited on Ministry of Education land next to the school.
Due to the availability of a Ministry discretionary grant the Raetihi Early Childhood Education Trust was formed to plan carry out a viability survey and the action required to apply for the grant. The trustees were Jamie Proude, Robyn Olds, Andy Entwisle, Jane Eades and Lynne Pope.
The work done by the Trust, combined with the generosity of the Waimarino community, meant that the application for the Discretionary grant of $650,000 was successful. What followed was the rapid development of building plans and permits meaning long hours of work for the Trustees.
It was proposed that the new centre be named after resident Nancy Winter. The Winter Family was approached about the idea, which was warmly received. Nancy had been one of the first pre-school teachers in Raetihi also coaching hundreds of local children in swimming as well as being involved in the Crippled Children Society, golf course and other community activity. She received the Queen’s service medal award in June 1997.
On April the 1st 2007 the Nancy Winter Centre was opened with a licence for 40 children over 2 and 10 under 2.
Tariana Turia opened the centre with a large community presence, especially the Winter family. One of the conditions of the Discretionary Grant was that if the Centre remained viable for 10 year it would then be owned by the community through the Trust.