Jean Darnell stood on this hill overlooking the sea and made a proclamation that:
“Just as there are natural springs in this place so there are hidden springs and.
Annual Report
2013
Contents Directors Report Our People Our Guests Our Place Financial Reports
Income Sources Expenditure Income Growth Financial Statements
Grants and Funding
Vision
ssion Mission
high quality environments where people have experiences that enrich them as human beings, enable them to grow stronger together and inspire them to live life to the full.” “To create
Vision
“To become a
leader
leisure industry and to
in the camp, conference and
play a vital role
restoration of the city of Christchurch.”
in the
Directors Report “It was music that kept their spirits free Those songs of yours and of mine” Chorus lines from the Celtic song ‘Let the people sing’ Assisting people to keep their spirits free amidst the challenges of life is at the very heart of what Living Springs exists for, and aligns perfectly with our stated mission of “Creating high quality environments where people have experiences that enrich them as human beings, enable them to grow stronger together and inspire them to live life to the full.” This has been a great year in terms of both the number of people who have come here and the growing impact the organisation is now having in the wider Christchurch community. It has been exciting to watch, as much of the work we have done in recent years to bring our organisation to a place where it is making relevant and real differences in the lives of people, is now bearing fruit. Also the timing has been spot on and in the post earthquake era there have been many opportunities for us to thrive, to step up and to contribute in ways that are great for the community as well as for staff culture and morale.
Forty two years ago a woman named Jean Darnell stood on this hill overlooking the sea and made a proclamation that: “Just as there are natural springs in this place so there are hidden springs and people will come from afar and from the nations of the earth to this place and they will be refreshed and they will go out from here and they will refresh others.” A bold statement in its day when it was made on a barren hillside but today it is enshrined in the naming of the place and is worked out as a daily reality. In the post earthquake era it is important for the City of Christchurch and surrounds that organisations such as Living Springs continue to flourish.
“Just as there are natural springs in this place so there are hidden springs and people will come from afar and from the nations of the earth to this place and they will be refreshed and they will go out from here and they will refresh others.” Jean Darnell 1971
Our People Staff As always our staff and volunteers are the heart and soul of making Living Springs the place it is today, and while facing many challenges, the passion and sense of purpose they bring to their diverse roles is a major contributor to making this the place what it is. The caliber and professional capabilities of our staff is continually improving and is the engine that is taking us forward into a bold new era for Living Springs and I find their commitment and abilities a constant source of inspiration. At the 40 Year Anniversary event on April 7th this year, David Garb, representing Canteen NZ, spoke of their work with young people affected by cancer and their ten year relationship with Living Springs. “We fly young people into Living Springs from all around NZ several times a year and though I have run workshops in other places, never have I found a place quite like this, this place is amazing. It is a natural healing environment just to come up here, the views are superb, the food is excellent and the staff are unbelievably supportive.”
We have always prided ourselves on offering a superb level of hospitality and making this a warm and welcoming place with excellence in service and facilities and a “nothing’s a problem” attitude towards our guests. In October 2012 we won The Corporate Events Guide ‘Peoples Choice Award” for best nationwide private venue hire, which was a real buzz for all concerned as this was the first time we had put ourselves forward to be measured in this way and to come away with the trophy was exciting for all. Once again we are indebted to our foreign volunteers who are an important part of our makeup and bring a richness and diversity to our community as well as making a significant contribution to the work that we do – it would be difficult without them. We also continue to work towards accreditation through the 2012/13 year with Investors In People, an international quality standard which will recognise our commitment to maximising the potential of our people.
“We fly young people into Living Springs from all around NZ several times a year and though I have run workshops in other places, never have I found a place quite like this, this place is amazing. It is a natural healing environment just to come up here, the views are superb, the food is excellent and the staff are unbelievably supportive.” David Garb - Canteen NZ
Our Place From a board level down, we have been intentional in recent years to build an ethos of sustainability into our organisation.
Target Sustainability
Beginning in 2009, we began to work with the Christchurch City Council “Target Sustainability” initiative, mainly aimed at waste management and energy efficiency, and have made significant gains in both areas. We are now feature on the Target Sustainability website. Funding from the Lottery Grants Board has helped us change the style of heating in most of our accommodation with the installation of eighteen heat pumps as well as improvements in insulation and heat transfer systems. Stepping up from here we have now submitted to an Audit by CEMARS and are moving towards the goal of a carbon neutral certified organisation.
Water Quality, Living Streams and Biodiversity
Being situated on a four hundred and fifty hectare property at the head of Lyttelton Harbour has its benefits as well as its challenges but managing this well is another area in which we have become intentional. With assistance from ECan we have made significant gains in fencing off areas of the Allandale stream from livestock grazing and undertaken a comprehensive programme of riparian planting to enhance water quality and encourage the development of aquatic stream life. This is part of a greater programme that started in 2010 with the retirement from grazing of a native bush reserve that includes the headwaters of the Allandale stream reaching right up to the crater rim. The programme is ongoing and we are currently in discussions with ECan regarding extension of that programme in 2013/14 year.
Celebrating Forty Years
Forty years is quite an achievement and Living Springs celebrated in style on the April 7th, 2013 with a major event involving over 400 people assembled in an onsite marquee. Old stories were told and the founders Anne Morrow, Dave and Eddi Down and Roger and Val Roxburgh were honored for their vision, faith and amazing capacity to bring a place like Living Springs into existence. The St. Andrews College Pipe Band stirred the hearts of the assembled guests as they led the founders in and the Rapaki based Te Ahikaaroa Kapa Haka took it to another level with an amazing Kaka Hapa item. Among the speakers, Deputy Christchurch Mayor Ngaire Button spoke of the legacy the founders had left and the important role that Living Springs plays in the life and wellbeing of the city. John Donaldson and our catering team then demonstrated in grand style the level of hospitality of which they are capable of with a BBQ feast for 400 guests. As part of the anniversary year celebrations we have also begun the development of a heritage trail that captures aspects of the geological, Maori and colonial history of this place as well as highlights of the Living Springs founding stories. The first two stations were completed for the anniversary event and an important archiving programme has also been started.
Grants and Funding We continue to work closely with many trusts and funding providers to enable us to make improvements to the buildings and our environment. As part of our ongoing drive for energy efficiency and increased comfort during our colder months we received $20,000 from Lotteries to enable us to install Heat Pumps in all of the Bunkhouses. The community groups that use our bunkhouses have already experienced the benefit of warmer, cosier accommodation. The Canterbury Community Trust granted us $20,000 for necessary road development at the Outdoor Camping Centre which will enable us to provide better access in the winter months.
“I was a southern youth leadership training camper, and the heat pumps made an incredible difference to the level of comfort I have previously received, it was easier to sleep and much more enjoyable, I feel as though I was able get more out of this stay because I wasn’t focused on being cold. Thank you and all that you and your team do.” Verity Tasker, Youth Co-ordinator, CYS
How you can help Living Springs Living Springs is a Charitable Trust and we rely on the support of our community to continually improve our environment and facilities for the benefit of all those who come to experience what Living Springs has to offer. There are many ways you can support us.
Be Our Voice
You can help us by telling your friends and family to support Living Springs by trying one of our many programmes, such as our kids camp in the school holidays, or booking their next event, children’s birthday party, work function wedding or family gathering at Living Springs.
Help us to keep you informed
Make sure we have your contact details so that we can send you our quarterly newsletter about what we are doing and about opportunities to be involved with events. Look for the ‘Newsletter’ sign up button on our website www.livingsprings.co.nz for more information.
Make a donation
A very small donation can make a big difference here at Living Springs. All donations will go directly towards securing the long-term future and success of our programmes for youth and enabling us to continually make improvements to our activities and facilities for the benefit of the community.
Work With Us
We actively encourage the sharing of skills and knowledge with other organisations that we can work with in order to achieve more for the wider commmunity. If you own or work for a business that you feel has shared goals for our community then we would love to hear from you.
Give us your feedback
We constantly seek feedback from the people who come and experience what Living Springs and what it has to offer, but even if you haven’t been here for a while we welcome your comments and ideas to make sure we remain in touch with our community.
Contact us
For more information on how to make donations or to contact us regarding any of the above please call: 03 329 9788 or email:
[email protected] or better still check our the ‘Support Us’ button on the website: www.livingsprings.co.nz
Living Springs 218 Bamfords Road, RD1, Lyttelton, 8971 P: 03 329 9788
[email protected]
www.livingsprings.co.nz
