Our Vision
Inspiring caring resilient communities
Tū mai He Ora Ora: hei whakamanawa ora, hei tiaki ora, hei manawaroa
Our Purpose
We stand for environmental sustainability, social equity, cultural richness and community participation in the Whanganui region.
- Preparing and re-localising our community, making it vibrant, resilient and truly sustainable in the face of the impending energy, climate and financial disruptions expected with the onset of Peak Oil and Climate Change.
- Developing an Environmental Resource and Learning Centre.
- Being involved in advocacy on matters relating to environmental sustainability, social equity, cultural richness and community participation.
- Facilitating the adoption of sustainable living within the community.
- Promoting environmental education.
- Fostering a clear awareness of economic, social, political and ecological interdependence in rural and urban Whanganui.
- Networking locally, nationally and globally.
- Acknowledging the kaitiakitanga of tangata whenua; to pursue bicultural and multicultural solutions to regional environmental issues; and to give full respect to all creatures and citizens of the world.
Connectivity
We work alongside and connect with more than 60 local and nationwide organisations.
Impact Reports
Meet the Team
Trustees
Hadi
Chair
Hadi Gurton teaches Zero Waste education in schools and provides recycling at events. Hadi thinks globally and acts locally at SWT because he loves Papatūānuku mother earth.
Chris
Co-chair
Chris Smith is passionate about the environment and our role as kaitiaki. He believes that sustainability is at the core of fulfilling this responsibility.
Graham
Treasurer
Graham Pearson enjoys the opportunities through Sustainable Whanganui’s many activities to be an “environmental educator”. It keeps him busy and interacting with people in his retirement!
John
Secretary
John Milnes is one of the founding members of Sustainable Whanganui and whose roots are firmly planted in building community and resilience.
Bernadine
Trustee
Bernadine Bourke says being involved and connected gives her the opportunity to contribute to a better future.
Katy
Trustee
Katy Amundsen Newton is passionate about conservation and believes that small local actions really can lead to giant ripples and far-reaching effects.
Marion
Legal Advisor
Marion Sanson volunteers with Sustainable Whanganui as it seemed a logical step after retiring from work as a community lawyer. It needs to be easier for people to make choices that are good for the environment and that’s what SWT is about.
Coordinators and Managers
Sharon
Greening Whanganui Coordinator
Sharon Francis is thrilled to share her 20+ years of gardening expertise and speciality training in natives, fruit trees and vegetables with whanau, kura and school communities.
Alastair
Green Bikes Manager
Alastair Goodwin is dedicated to Green Bikes and hopes to turn Whanganui into a bike users’ paradise.
Mike
Green Bikes Mechanic
Mike Williamson’s mission is to keep bikes from landfill, get them back in use in the community and share some fix-it skills along the way
Our History
In 2006 a passionate and committed group of people came together realising that sustainability and resilience for our community was becoming increasingly important. The group included an engineer, organic gardeners, a teacher and a regional councillor who became Mayor. From these first discussions Sustainable Whanganui (SW) has spread its sphere of influence across our community.
Over the years a committed group of SW volunteers has connected with the community through a range of programmes and hosted many educational talks and films and hands-on, practical workshops like composting, cloth bag making and more.
In 2011 SW saw a need and suggested the establishment of a resource recovery centre to the Whanganui District Council. Their vision included more than just recycling. Happily, this found a receptive audience at Council which was interested in creating partnerships for progress. A perfect central site was identified which was land-banked and thereby offered the chance to partner with Whanganui iwi and recycle and reuse a whole prison site!
SW enjoyed many years at the WRRC site, until its imminent change of use required SW to find a new place to operate from. A central location was found and the Envirohub opened in April 2024 at 23 Drews Avenue Whanganui.
SW joined Environment Hubs Aotearoa in 2021 – a national network of organisations working with communities to protect, nurture and improve environmental outcomes.