News
Work is well underway towards building St John’s new Southland District Headquarters in Invercargill.
Operations manager Cary Grant said the new space will give people somewhere they can actually regroup, relax and recharge after a busy shift.
The multi-million dollar station will also serve as a base for multiple St John stations across the district, and allow staff and volunteers from as far away as Queenstown to utilise the space.
“It’s a building that is designed with ambulance services in mind,” Cary said.
St John Invercargill has been sharing the space with Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ), however both teams are now outgrowing their spaces.
The late Invercargill businessman Louis Crimp gave St John $1 million many years ago, which the organisation invested, and in December 2022 purchased the section on Clyde and Liddel streets.
Geo-testing has been completed and demolition work to remove all the old buildings to clear the land should be getting underway in the next few weeks.
The fundraising team from Christchurch has brought in their expertise too. They were behind the new Cromwell, Timaru and Rangiora builds as well.
Community engagement coordinator Tracy Kilkelly said everyone is so excited to be involved.
Cary said it was like looking after one big family, being able to design a new Southland District Headquarters for all of St John crew at the stations across the region.
Meanwhile, the Mitre 10 Mega-gifted playhouse built by the famous ‘Easy As Stan,' that will be auctioned off on March 26, is still making its way around town, at various open home sites.
There have been a few challenges and pranks in the mix, by businesses supporting the cause.
Wayne Ellis of Harcourts Invercargill challenged all real estate agents to match their $100 from every exclusive listing in February and March.
Sean Bellew of One Agency - The Property Specialists, immediately stepped up to an arm wrestle and in losing to Wayne is now donating $200 per listing.
The playhouse could fetch a good price at the auction, and the fundraising committee has also been having meetings with funders such as ILT, Aotea Gaming Trust and the Southland Community Trust, as they look to make grant applications.
whatsoninvers.nz founder Mike Sanford has provided a generous in-kind advertising contribution to help promote the fundraising campaign.
Sanford said it was a “no-brainer” to support an initiative that backs frontline workers like St John.
“Their new headquarters will benefit the entire Invercargill and Southland region,” he said.
Sanford added that whatsoninvers.nz has a strong audience presence across the area and is encouraging other businesses and members of the public to get behind the fundraising effort to help bring the new St John headquarters to life.
For information about the fundraising go to southern.stjohn.org.nz or the St John Invercargill Facebook page.