From left, Gillianne Ray (Auckland Council), Apulu Reece Autagavaia (Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board chair) and Total Healthcare PHO’s Mark Vella (CEO) and William Kato Ropata (board chair).
Free dancing groups for fitness, fun and wellness are on their way to the streets of Ōtara, thanks to a special collaboration between Total Healthcare PHO and Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board.
Pasifika elders have been dancing their way to wellness in Mangere Town Centre at much-loved daily Zumba-style dance classes and the local board was keen to bring multiple sessions to Ōtara Town Centre but only had limited funding.
Total Healthcare is contributing $15,000 towards the classes that will run three times a week. The initiative is known as Double the Local (Rua te Rohe) as it is supported by the PHO’s health service provider Local Doctors and involves a local board. The aim is also to double the number of locals coming into the town centre.
PHO board chair William Kato Ropata says it was a privilege to contribute to the initiative because it supported a shared vision of creating better lives for people in Ōtara.
The PHO’s CEO, Mark Vella, says the partnership makes sense because of the great wellbeing and social benefits for the Ōtara community, the majority of whom are registered with the PHO.
Partnerships with like-minded community groups to improve health and wellbeing have already proved highly successful for the PHO, says Mark. This includes the ongoing partnership with BBM Motivation and its From the Couch programme to transform the lives of people struggling with obesity.
Speaking at the launch of the partnership, Total Healthcare/Local Doctors community liaison manager Li’amanaia Lorenzo Kaisara said the classes would bring health and wellness benefits, particularly for Pasifika and Māori communities. Li’amanaia noted the PHO had 80,000 Pasifika patients in Auckland with 55,000 in South Auckland, the majority of whom lived in Ōtara.
Local board chairman thankful for funding
Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia said the classes will bring health benefits, help tackle loneliness and assist with improving safety in the town centre. He said the funding from Total Healthcare means the local board can now do a lot more to serve the community in Ōtara.
Auckland Council community programme delivery specialist adviser Gillianne Ray also thanked Total Healthcare for “helping this age-friendly project come alive”.
Gillianne said she hoped Local Doctors would encourage its patients to attend classes as part of their health plans.
Celebrations to launch Double the Local (Rua te Rohe) – a partnership between Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board and Total Healthcare.
