Our Story
SuperGrans Manawatū Charitable Trust has been operating in the greater Manawatū since 2005.
Our Vision
A community that utilises its resources to ensure all people have sustainable life skills to support them in an equitable future.
Our Purpose
To support and strengthen the community through in-home mentoring and workshops. To share skills and knowledge for safe, healthy, sustainable budget living to enable individuals and whanaū to take greater control of their own future.
SuperGrans was first established in 1994 in Lower Hutt by Erin McMenamin who at the time was volunteering for the local foodbank. Erin noticed that people were removing items from their food parcels that they were unsure of how to use. Erin was concerned that half of the food parcel was being returned so thought that this was where we can do the best to help people and communities and so the concept of SuperGrans was born.
There are now 12 branches throughout the country, who although are separate trusts with their own community emphasis, all share the common goal of sharing skills and knowledge particularly in the food area. See Supergrans Aotearoa website for more information.
SuperGrans Manawatū Charitable Trust has been operating in the Manawatū since 2005 after receiving a grant from the Ministry of Social Development. The organisation began with 1 part time staff member and volunteers. We have evolved since and presently have six volunteer Trustees, five paid part time staff and are supported by a team of 45 volunteers.
Our volunteers are people of all ages from all walks of life who are able to draw on their experience in household management, raising a family, gardening and general practical skills. They pass on skills and gift their time to help people achieve their goals in everyday life skills. They come from diverse backgrounds (and not all are grans!)
We are funded through a generous donation from the Wright Family Foundation and grants from Palmerston North City Council, COGS the Lotteries Grants Board and other generous supporters.
Our People
Our Team
Joanne Baird
Manager
Joanne started at SuperGrans Manawatū in 2015 as One on One Co-ordinator and was promoted to Manager in 2019. She has a background in occupational therapy and family support work. With a passion for positive skill-passing and a firm belief in intergenerational mentoring she feels very privileged to work for this wonderful organisation. Joanne enjoys getting to know the highly skilled mentors who volunteer for SuperGrans and finding new ways to utilise their skills while meeting the needs of our Manawatū community.
Robyn Stinson
Administrator
I moved to the beautiful Manawatū around 26 years ago and most of my previous employment has been at Massey University. I have been the administrator at SuperGrans since 2019, and every day here is a learning day! I never cease to be amazed by the big hearts and innate kindness of the volunteers and feel very fortunate to work for this organisation.
Jayme McGrath
Volunteer and Programme Coordinator
Jayme is born and bred in the mighty Manawatū. After a stint in Australia she has returned to raise her family here and has been with our team since November 2023. Jayme our Volunteer and Programme Coordinator and works with other community organizations, schools and individuals to organize and deliver skill sharing workshops. Jayme has a passion for food and loves getting to know the amazing volunteers that make the workshops we provide possible.
Cynthia Landa
Workshop Coordinator
Originally from Peru Cynthia has been with SuperGrans since 2011 and has a wide range of experience with community organisations. Cynthia facilitates our cooking workshops. Cynthia strongly believes in the philosophy of SuperGrans and feels very privileged to workwith our skilled and dedicated volunteers.
Georgie Rynhart
Workshop Facilitator
A Palmy local, Georgie grew up on the outskirts of town in a household where something was always being grown or harvested or preserved or repaired. After a degree in Horticulture at Massey and a few years working in the Plant Science area, Georgie has spent the last phase of her life planting, pickling, preserving, sewing, knitting and mending while raising 4 children. She started working with SuperGrans at the end of 2023 and is excited that she is now able to share those traditional skills with more than just her family.
Our Board
Apryl Cadman
Chairperson
Apryl is a Registered Legal Executive at the Manawatū Community Law Centre. Apryl finds working for a community organisation extremely rewarding as her role involves helping people and organisations which may not otherwise have access to legal services. Apryl hopes her legal knowledge will assist in the great work that SuperGrans achieves.
During her free time Apryl enjoys reading, exercising, spending time with family and friends and rest home visits with her dogs Elliot and Frankie who are volunteer members of Canine Friends.
Brian Ross-Murphy
Board Trustee
Brian returned to the Manawatū in 2015 and once again became involved in a governance role, initially setting up a small Community Trust and then joined the SuperGrans Board. He has been involved as a Board member in a wide range of not-for-profit organisations including a Hospice. He believes, based on his skills and experience, in giving back to community and SuperGrans objectives align with his. His career has spanned many years as a Senior Manager, including CEO, both in NZ and Asia and has been a director of a number of companies.
Gail Jensen
Treasurer
As a grandmother herself to two boys, one with special needs, Gail understands the importance of family and ongoing support. Gail is passionate about helping younger generations by passing on her knowledge. Recently retired as a Mortgage Adviser, she has helped many young people achieve their dream of home ownership over the past 20 years. As a trustee of SuperGrans, Gail sees this opportunity as a way of helping families learn important life skills through mentoring and attending the ongoing workshops offered by SuperGrans Manawatū.
Kathriona Benvie
Board Member
Kathriona has been a SuperGrans mentor since 2014 and a Board member since 2017. Although she works casually as a radiographer and as a First Aid Instructor with New Zealand Red Cross, Kathriona still finds time to volunteer. She is actively involved with Neighbourhood Support, Age Concern and St Matthews Church. Kathriona has a passion for enhancing connectedness in our community. This includes the sharing of skills, improving communication and building resilience and confidence with other people. She enjoys mentoring in cooking and gardening at SuperGrans, passing on skills she learnt from her own family.
Alana Blair
Board Member
After a teaching career spanning 40 years, Alana is now involved with a range of different community groups in Palmerston North. She has been a volunteer with SuperGrans since 2014, mostly involved in one on one mentoring. Alana enjoys volunteering with SuperGrans and finds the people she works with quite delightful. She finds great satisfaction in sharing someone’s journey as they learn new skills. As a Board member she looks forward to supporting the organisation to grow and succeed in a community that requires our support.
Dave Mollard
Board Member
Dave is a Human Resources Director for an Iwi Health provider, and is passionate about building resilience and delivering equity to our community. Dave is the kaitiaki of Awapuni Community Gardens, a member of the Palmerston North Volunteer Fire Brigade and writes a community-focused opinion piece in the Manawatū Guardian and the NZ Herald. Dave sits at the table of the community collective Ora Konnect and leads its 4412 Kai Security Squad.
Dave grew up in Palmerston North and loves supporting the work Supergrans does showing Aroha to our community.
Our Funders
We would like to express our thanks to the many supporters who have helped us help the community. Our free services have been made possible with the generous assistance from the following funders and sponsors:
