Te Whānau o Waipareira kaimahi honoured for services during COVID

Two long standing senior staff were surprised with the highest accolade for their services to the community during COVID at the annual Te Whānau o Waipareira breakfast this morning.

Clinical Governance Director, Ngaire Harris and Wai Puna nurse, Kim Wi, were presented with the illustrious Whānau Ora Award in front of the full board and staff by CE John Tamihere, who was full of praise.

“Their tireless work on the front line especially over the pandemic clearly displayed all the love they have for our people. I want to acknowledge the generations of whānau around them for the sacrifices they made to allow Ngaire and Kimi to give all the time they have to our whānau and our communities. I want to acknowledge both of you outstanding wahine”.

Registered nurse Kimi Rewi is the first Tamariki Ora nurse at Te Whānau o Waipareira who works on the frontline every day, and this morning she was speechless.

“I’m not often lost for words. Thank you for allowing me to do what I do, for kicking my backside from time to time, thank you to my whānau who do hard mahi in the health sector, this is for them”.

Kimi and Ngaire first met when they were both nurses at National Women’s Hospital and Ngaire is the second of many generations in her whānau to work at Waipareira.

“My namesake Aunty Ngaire was a staunch advocate for whānau at Waipareira for many years, so it felt very natural to follow her lead. Both my daughter and my moko have served our neighbourhoods for Waipareira, that itself is an honour for me”.

Guest speaker and former Te Whānau o Waipareira board member, Clint Rickards, delivered a presentation about Public Servants and Treaty Settlements. Mr Rickards recently graduated with his PHD from Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiarangi.