People We Are Proud to Partner With

1982
Ebat Charitable Trust was established in 1982 with support from service clubs and the local community. Initially, the focus was on finding employment for people who experience mental illness but demand for support grew to include people with disabilities.  

2002
In 2002 EBAT Charitable Trust refocused and began trading as Pou Whakaaro. Since this time they have continued to grow and to take a community development approach across all of their work. Their mission is 'Partnering with people living life well’. They continue to provide services to people with a disability or mental illness and also to families/whanau of people with an experience of mental illness.

Pou Whakaaro and CReW are both governed by EBAT Charitable Trust’s Board of Trustees 

CURRENT
Today Pou Whakaaro offers a range of courses and activities in Whakatāne and Kawerau along with employment support and a micro business group. Some courses include community-based activities, and many are open to the wider community. 

Pou Whakaaro provides an umbrella for other community initiatives, including CReW and the East Bay TimeBank.

Pou Whakaaro has a symbiotic relationship with CReW who offers work experience in its retail shop, be it on a voluntary or paid level to the people that Pou Whakkaaro partners with.

In addition, Pou Whakaaro hosts Whakatāne’s Community-Led Education Programme which is an excellent vehicle for the sharing of skills, knowledge and experiences which strengthen and enrich our community.

CReW has a very strong relationship with the Whakatāne District Council who not only helped found CReW, but who also provides funding for specific waste minimisation educational projects and operations which is in accordance with the council’s ongoing aim to reduce as much ‘waste’ going to landfill as possible. For more information on the WDC’s aims and objectives click on image to the right: 

CReW’s operations help to divert 312 tonnes* of reusable resources per annum going to the landfill, which in turn helps reduce considerable costs to both the Whakatāne District Council and to the rate payer. *(as at 2019)

CReW is strategically positioned in the same street as the Whakatāne District Council’s Recycling Park and Transfer Station which is operated by Waste Management. 

Waste Management has a very co-operative relationship with CReW and encourages locals with re-usable resources and/or e-waste, to first bring them into CReW to be considered for resale in their REUSE Shop, or to be sent off to be recycled in an environmentally friendly way.

It is important to know that CReW is not a recycling centre for single-use items such as: cardboard, single-use plastics, aluminium and tin cans and paper, most of which can be dropped off at the Recycling Park and Transfer Station.

Should you require Refuse or Recycling Services, contact Waste Management for further details at: https://www.wastemanagement.co.nz

Check out CReW’s  Services page for What We Accept & What We Don’t Accept .

CReW is proud to be associated with Bay Trust who is a funder of CReW’s Waste Minimisation Educational Programme 2018/19.

Without the support from BayTrust, CReW would not have been able to offer the Community Waste Minimisation Projects such as the 2018/19 Local School Mural Competition incorporating important waste minimisation messages. This competition attracted 91 entries and 22 finalists were selected and are showcased on Shipping Containers at the inwards area of CReW.

CReW wishes to acknowledge the contribution that Aquaheat has been making by donating their time to CReW to degas the refrigerators, heat pumps and dehumidifiers that are accepted by CReW. The gas inside of refrigeration units can be harmful to the environment and by sequestering the gas Aquaheat is helping to ensure the most environmentally friendly manner of disposal of your fridges.

CReW then removes the motors for recycling. We also remove all trays and reusable components for resale. The metal shells are then recycled which serves to keep as much out of landfill as possible. Thanks Aquaheat for helping to divert waste for the local community!

Pou Whakaaro/CReW supports Waste Not Want Not by providing them with free space to operate their food rescue operation at Pou Whakaaro House in 1 Bracken Street Whakatane.

Who is Waste Not Want Not?
Waste Not Want Not to is a local 'food rescue' charity organisation which started in Whakatane in June 2018. It was set up to create a more sustainable community by rescuing good fresh quality food and redistributing it to everyday people and community groups.

Win win for everyone! 
Waste Not Want Not’s food rescue operation offers a mutual benefit to the local region by diverting a substantial amount of food from the landfill, whilst also making it available (for free) to community members, proving to be a win/win for everyone. 

Founder Janene Maguire states: 
“We are lucky to have amazing food donors, supporters, sponsors and volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure that in this community the need for 'food rescue' is both acknowledged and carried out.

We collect and distribute rescued food 5 days a week.  Mon-Wed-Fri from 4pm until all food runs out. Food can be collected by individuals at our 'market shop' in the Pou Whakaaro House at 1 Bracken Street. The remaining days the food goes directly to the community groups.

Come and be part of a charity organisation that believes that to Waste Not is to Want Not.”  

June 2018 - June 2019 
An average of 3.5 tonnes of food per month has been rescued by Waste Not Want Not since it opened its doors in June 2018.