Forty-eight main street is the new home of The Upper Hutt Housing Charitable Trust (UHHCT) and Hutt Valley Benefit Education Service Trust, (BEST). It was with a sense of joy and pride that we opened this new office facility on Friday the 10th of October. Guests from other similar Church and service organisations, The Mayor, Council Community Service Group members, the local MP’s office, Work and Income, Police and other well wishers joined us in the celebrations.

Both the UHHCT and Best began their work in the Upper Hutt community as a Christian response to poverty and housing deprivation, works of Mercy. The two organisations fit well together as their purpose is to serve the needs of the people who are on the peripheries of our community due to being deprived access to financial independence, limiting their access to basic human necessities such as food, health care, shelter. The Mayor Wayne Guppy opened the facility commending the work of the UHHCT and BEST within Upper Hutt community. He noted that UHHCT was a nominee for the Wellington Airport Upper Hutt community award. Further noting that both UHHCT and BEST had their origins from local Catholic outreach groups. While this is the case UHHCT and BEST have had and have the support of other local Church groups and like minded people of good will who recognise the need of the marginalised and want to help. The chair of the UHHCT and service manager of BEST spoke of their different journeys to the new office of both. The UHHCT was varied, from an office in St Joseph’s Church, to a garage in a rental property in Maoribank, to temporary facilities in the old Wallaceville Research complex made available by Malcolm Gillies, then 95B Main Street and now home at 48 Main Street. BEST was run from a house on the property of the Home of Compassion Silverstream then owned by the Compassion sisters, then 95B Main Street and now here. Both organisations are supported by boards committed to the work, friends of the organisations, and funders of not-for-profit groups, without them, there would be no facility to operate from.

The UHHCT seeks new board members who share the trust’s Kaupapa To continue operating the trust needs to generate funding so are setting up a dedicated fund-raising group led by a member of the board. We seek as well, sponsors and benefactors with a heart for improving the plight of the vulnerable. If you can help to make a difference as a board member, help with fund raising, sponsor the work, or volunteer, please contact the Upper Hutt Housing Charitable Trust Secretary Judy Dixon 022 043 4703.

We acknowledge our sponsors.

UHHCT has been fortunate to receive funding from Sisters of St Joseph, Presentation Sisters, Tindall Foundation, Macarthy Trust, Upper Hutt City Council, Nikau Foundation plus other people who are generous and give regular monthly donations. The Trust is very grateful for this support.

A “thank you” to Ron Edmonds for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

21/10/25