Hub for RSE workers taking shape

January 23rd, 2016

A place to give Motueka's RSE orchard workers a home away from home is taking shape and fulfilling the dream of its dedicated founder Renee Docherty (pictured).

With a huge amount of help from volunteer workers and people donating materials, the Matariki Pacifica Hub on Whakarewa Street now includes a bathroom, kitchen, games room and laundry as well as shelving and other fittings.

The project to create the Matariki hub began around the middle of last year when Renee, who is an employee at Birdhurst, saw a clear need to provide a vibrant gathering point for homesick RSE workers from Pacific Island nations.

Using her networks of contacts she managed to locate an unused packing shed (Martins Packhouse) near the western end of Whakarewa Street, and has liaised with local builders and others who share her vision to do the conversion on very limited funds.

Many voluntary workers have donated time to clean up and paint the interior. A mural artist, J J Muzacz, donated time during November to paint some amazing, vibrant murals on the outside walls (see photos below).

Items such as a piano and lounge furniture have been donated. Shelving has been made to house Internet computers. Renee says the hub is on schedule to meet the expected completion date of mid-February and an opening ceremony hopefully in March.

"We just wanted it to be a home away from home for RSE workers and they should be able to just come here and hang out, play PlayStation, work out or do some homework before going back to their accommodation," she told the Motueka Guardian.

On the group's Renee (who calls herself Neiz on the page) writes: "Our visitors and our friends from Samoa and Vanuatu work tirelessly alongside us supporting our primary industry and we want to acknowledge the strong relationship we have with them by returning the aroha and making it our mission to create a meeting place for them, a special space that will promote Pacifica art, culture and its people whilst providing a retreat for them to unwind and relax outside of work hours and allow them to have a home away from home."

The spare room will also be used to implement a scheme of building up donations for Christmas gifts to brighten up the festive season for the over 200 RSE workers.

The project organising team, which includes staff from Birdhurst and Golden Bay Fruit, are now working as a tight team. They still need more tables and chairs, lounges and electronic equipment, and are setting up a Givealittle page to enable the Motueka public to help.

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