Chair's Report
When the CMM Board approved the three-year Strategic Plan in 2019, we committed ourselves to being ‘radical and brave in our work for social transformation’.
This approach was evident again this past year as people who had been long-term homeless were housed, struggling whānau were supported through our pre-school, work in schools and home visits, and people nearing the end of their life were cared for compassionately at Wesley Care.
When the CMM Board approved the three-year Strategic Plan in 2019, we committed ourselves to being ‘radical and brave in our work for social transformation’.
This approach was evident again this past year as people who had been long-term homeless were housed, struggling whānau were supported through our pre-school, work in schools and home visits, and people nearing the end of their life were cared for compassionately at Wesley Care.
A highlight for me personally was the opening of the new housing community in Guild Street, Christchurch. As a former District Nurse, I have witnessed the impact that living in a cold, damp house has on children. To see 15 families, move into their new, warm, dry, permanent homes set in a park-like environment was a great cause for celebration. The addition of a community house with a dedicated community worker provides additional opportunities for families to thrive. With over 24,000 households on the social housing register, this may be a ‘small drop in the ocean of need’ but it does provide a model of housing that is about building communities, not just houses. This development was possible only because of the generosity of Anglican Care who have leased the land to CMM. If the housing crises is going to be solved, such creative partnerships are essential.
CMM had a positive financial result for the year overall. The COVID-19 Level 4 lockdown in the autumn of 2020 had a negative impact on Wesley Care, with slightly lower admissions and higher overall costs due to requirements of additional staff and the huge increase in the cost of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Despite these challenges, Wesley Care has continued the provision of high-quality care for which it has a strong reputation.
CMM continues to be governed by a strong and stable Board with a diverse set of knowledge and skills. This year we farewelled Ngaere Dawson from the Board and I would like to thank Ngaere for her contributions over the past five years.
CMM now has 230 staff and I am grateful for their hard work and commitment over the past year. As you will see from this report, CMM has a broad range of services and a staff team with many and varied qualifications and skills that are drawn on to make a significant difference in peoples’ lives.
Finally, I want to thank the many supporters of CMM’s work; whether that be a Government organisation, a philanthropic trust, a parish or an individual. This work would not be possible without your commitment to building a better world.