Te Hokowhitu A Tū Ki Te Teko ends 2025 with electrical overhaul with support from Trust Horizon

Stage one of a comprehensive electrical upgrade is underway at Te Hokowhitu A Tū Ki Te Teko, thanks to a $9,797 grant from Trust Horizon.

Previously known as the Te Teko RSA, Te Hokowhitu is now a fully Māori-owned and operated organisation, managed with the support of members, marae, sponsors and Māori land trusts.

Open Fridays and Sundays, with Saturdays reserved for community events, the facility is a long-standing hub for local veterans and their whanau. Social gatherings, private functions, 8-Ball tournaments, darts and cards are all regularly enjoyed at Te Hokowhitu – along with special events such as ANZAC Day commemorations, this year attended by 250 people.

With Te Hokowhitu’s two buildings dating back to the 1950s, the facility’s electrical system was in need of an upgrade. “There was different lighting throughout different parts of the club – the deck, the pool room, the office and the bar,” says Clifford Waaka, Te Hokowhitu President. “To save on the club’s power costs, Trust Horizon’s recommendation was to transition to one lighting system for the entire building, upgrade the carpark lights, and enhance Health and Safety with a security lighting system.” An extra heat pump was also to be installed to combat the winter conditions, and increase the comfort of the club’s members and manuhiri.

The organisation applied to Trust Horizon for funding, and following a site visit to determine the scope of work, a $9,797 grant was approved to contribute to the cost of the project.

Phase one is now in progress – with energy-efficient LED lighting and electrical rewiring complete, and preparations for heat pump installation underway. Phase two will contribute to the cost of appliances in a brand-new kitchen, once funding for the non-electrical components of the project is secured.

For Te Hokowhitu, the upgrade is not only about energy and cost efficiency. It is also a matter of safety. “Just recently a rugby club burnt to the ground in Rotorua due to an electrical fault, so there’s a real safety factor,” says Waaka. “This is the first time in the club’s history that we have been able to completely rewire the entire lighting system in one go, rather than with incremental repairs.”

Trust Horizon was pleased to contribute to the facility’s upgrades. “Te Hokowhitu A Tū Ki Te Teko is an important part of the foundation of Te Teko” says Trust Horizon Trustee, Edwina O’Brien. “It provides a place for connection for veterans and the wider community, and the Trust was delighted to support these improvements to the building’s energy efficiency and safety.”

Completed in November, the new lighting system has been greeted with much appreciation by Te Hokowhitu’s members. The club also looks forward to receiving its first power bill since the upgrade, with significant energy cost savings expected.

“On behalf of Te Hokowhitu, we greatly appreciate the support of Trust Horizon to enable us to upgrade our lighting and heating system,” says Waaka. “We certainly look forward to future engagements with the Trust down the line.”

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