An important community gathering place for older people who live independently has celebrated its move to a new venue in Papakura town centre, which will enable it to welcome more seniors who may be in need of friendship, help and support.
The Selwyn Centre, which was previously based at The Homestead in Youngs Road, has moved to Crossroads Methodist Church at 25 Broadway, Papakura. With on-site parking and well-served by public transport, the central location will be very accessible for the older guests attending the twice-weekly sessions.
Offering a lively morning programme of social activities, gentle exercise and morning tea on Tuesdays and Fridays, the Centre welcomes all seniors (irrespective of faith or cultural background), enabling them to meet up with others and socialise in a friendly and welcoming environment.
First set up by Papakura Anglican Parish and The Selwyn Foundation, the Selwyn Centre was previously hosted at the Homestead villa at the entrance to the former Selwyn Oaks village at 21 Youngs Road (now Papakura Oaks), a site that had been established by the Papakura community in the late 1960s to provide care for local seniors. It is one of 28 Selwyn Centres across Auckland, Northland and the Waikato run by Anglican parishes in association with The Selwyn Foundation.
The opportunity to host the Selwyn Centre at Crossroads is a joint community initiative of the Papakura Anglican Parish and Crossroads Methodist Church, with ongoing support provided by Selwyn. Commenting on the partnership, Reverend Jason Grainger of Papakura Anglican Church and Reverend Kim Chiwona of Crossroads said: ‘The Anglican and Methodist Churches in Papakura have worked closely together for many years and this has been a great opportunity to do so again, benefiting the community in which we both serve. We have a passion to see our elder residents able to gather together regularly and create friendships in the supportive and caring environment of our Papakura Selwyn Centre.’
Chief Executive of The Selwyn Foundation, Denise Cosgrove, says: ‘It’s important to us that older people in Papakura experiencing hardship, especially loneliness and social isolation, are able to easily access opportunities for social engagement. While the Homestead provided a lovely home for our Selwyn Centre guests for many years, the new location is in the heart of Papakura town and will therefore benefit more seniors living in the area. The move is the result of a wonderful inter-denominational community collaboration, and I’d like to thank Reverends Jason Grainger and Kim Chiwona and their parish committees for all their help and support with the relocation.’
