Supporting Organisations that Support the Community
The Manawatū District is fortunate to have dedicated organisations supporting communities, providing vital services that often go under the radar but are never unappreciated. Council’s Community Development Priority Services Fund proudly supports these organisations, including Manchester House Social Services, Palmerston North Surf Life Saving Club, Manawatū Rural Support Services and Whatunga Tuao Volunteer Central.
The Community Development Priority Services Fund supports community and voluntary organisations who enhance community well-being, creating a sense of belonging and fostering social equity. On Wednesday, Council heard firsthand from Manchester House Social Services, Palmerston North Surf Life Saving Club, Manawatū Rural Support Services and Whatunga Tuao Volunteer Central as they presented their 12-month reports, reflecting on their achievements, projects and updates over the past year.
Manchester House Social Services, located in Feilding, operates four key centres providing an Emergency Food Bank, budgeting support, counselling, and a Senior Leisure Centre. They shared that the demand for their services has doubled in 2025. Fortunately, through funding and community support, service levels have been maintained and new projects are underway, including expanding their community garden in Feilding. Client feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with 99% of surveyed Senior Leisure Centre respondents agreeing that they felt more connected because of the activities, and 97% of addiction support group clients agreeing they learned new strategies to manage addiction. They also shared a heartwarming success story of a couple who, after six years of support, have welcomed a baby and recently purchased their first home.
Palmerston North Surf Life Saving Club trains and qualifies lifeguards who provide volunteer lifeguard services at Himatangi Beach throughout summer. The club also delivers beach education classes, junior surf programmes, and search and rescue services. In 2025, six lifeguards completed 696 patrol hours and caried out two rescues. The lifeguards met 100% of their annual objectives and rated the club a great place to work and learn new skills. The club’s ultimate goal is to ensure everyone enjoys the beach and leaves happy and safe, a goal successfully achieved in 2025.
Manawatū Rural Support Services provides free, confidential wellbeing support in rural communities by connecting clients with relevant services, from home visits to workshops. In 2025, 2,139 clients received assistance through more than 400 home visits and 10 workshops covering topics such as menopause, wellbeing, and first aid. This year, the team placed a strong focus on emergency preparedness, encouraging households to keep medication supplies and cash on hand incase of emergencies. Their work has been invaluable, seeing 100% of survey respondents satisfied with their services, and 74% agreeing that their ability to keep themselves and their whānau safe has increased.
Whataunga Tuao Volunteer Central’s mahi supports organisations to coordinate volunteers and create quality connections across the Manawatū District, Horowhenua and Palmerston North. They reflected on their successful year, with incredibly increased workloads, seeing the volunteer market double in supply. They worked with volunteers from as young as 8, to some up into their 90s! The team also shared their excitement for 2026, with regional projects planned to support growth and strengthen the communities they serve.
Council expressed their gratitude to each organisation for their insightful presentations and hard work. MDC takes great pride in supporting these organisations through the Community Development Priority Services Fund, where maintaining the Manawatū District as a place where everyone can thrive, is all just in a day's work.