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Hokianga Health is a not-for-profit community health service, with 10 general practice clinics throughout Hokianga. The trust also provides free healthcare to Hokianga households, oversees operations at Rawene Hospital, runs a maternity service and has healthy living programmes. Kiwi Bee makes a difference in Northland!

Comvita’s Kiwi Bee apiary has entered into a formal sponsorship agreement with Hokianga Health Enterprise Trust in Northland.

Through to 2020, Kiwi Bee sponsorship will be used to help fund capital upgrades at Rawene Hospital, including upgrading some wards, building a new x-ray room and making improvements to the hospital’s emergency department. Kiwi Bee Land Liaison Officer, John Upperton, pitched the idea of supporting Hokianga Health in their wellness endeavors to the Kiwi Bee Board in late 2017.

At yesterday’s event at Rawene Hospital, Comvita CEO, Scott Coulter, said Comvita sees benefit in partnering with likeminded organisations in the communities we operate in. “The trust’s focus on ‘hauora’ aligns closely to our values at Comvita. We too believe strongly in holistic wellbeing, which is reflected in our product range, the activities and initiatives we make available to our people, and the causes we get behind as a company. Kiwi Bee has operated out of Northland since 2008, and our co-founder, Claude Stratford, lived in Northland in the late 60s and early 70s as a beekeeper. Our business has close ties to Northland and we want to play our part in contributing to the local community,” Mr. Coulter said.

Hokianga Heath CEO, John Wigglesworth, said, “The trust is very grateful for the generosity of the Kiwi Bee and Comvita Boards in supporting Hokianga’s community-owned health services. We look forward to extending the quality of the services we offer alongside our new partners.”

Planting a Manuka seedling onsite at Rawene Hospital symbolises the start of a growing relationship between Hokianga Health Enterprise Trust and Comvita, Mr. Coulter said. “We chose Manuka given its relevance to Northland, our business, and because of its status as a nursery plant. When in the presence of Manuka, other plants grow stronger and more quickly, which seems appropriate in this instance.

From left John Upperton Scott Coulter Tony Birch John Wigglesworth Frank Herbert

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