August 08, 2019
Governor-General recognises Whangarei Leadership Academy as a "Community Star"
Immediate Release
8 August 2019
Governor-General Recognises Whangarei Leadership Academy as a “Community Star”
Leadership Academy of A Company has received an inaugural award, Tohu Autaia from Dame Patsy Reddy, Governor-General of New Zealand at an invitation only ceremony at Government House yesterday.
The Academy operated by Whangarei based, He Puna Marama Trust and running out of its kura Te Kāpehu Whetū, strongly aligns to the legacy, values and symbolism of the 28 Māori Battalion, A Company and aspires to build Māori leaders.
It was a recipient for the Northland region at the first ever awards programme launched by Foundation North that recognises people who have made contributions in the not-for-profit sector.
“Our first funding was from ASB funding ten years ago in the pursuit of setting up a kaupapa to create good, young men – it’s been a long, hard journey since then however I feel humbled to be part of this first rōpū. When I look around the room I see many other recipients who have also walked similar journey over the past decade in community projects,” says Raewyn Tipene, CEO of He Puna Marama Trust.
Photo supplied: Raewyn Tipene
In 2020 the academy marches out its 10th intake.
“Next year we’ve partnered with Waitangi Treaty grounds to hold their first ever ANZAC parade replicating the walk up Waitangi hill that the 28th Māori Battalion took before the war. Our new intake, current boys and old Academy boys will walk alongside veterans towards the newly built Whare Maumahara.”
Tipene credits the critical importance of the seed funding the Leadership Academy received as being pivotal in its sound establishment and survival. The awards are partly to recognise the billion dollars Foundation North has injected into the region over the last thirty years.
“If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have the Academy or the Kura and be standing here today to receive this award.”
Te Kāpehu Whetū’s Leadership Academy is planning to roll out across multiple sites in Northland and support roll out of similar Academies with the other Māori Battalion companies around the country.
ENDS
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