From Monday, July 1 2024, the neighbourhood house will take over the lease of the Riverlea commercial kitchen. This will not only provide establish a consistent funding stream for the theatre but also additional space for the operations of the Pukete Neighbourhood House.

“For nearly 40 years, Pukete Neighbourhood House has offered a variety of services and programmes to the Hamilton community, and Riverlea Theatre is celebrating our 40th anniversary. For both parties, this is a collaboration we are very proud to be a part of,” says Riverlea Theatre Marketing Co-ordinator Maureen Cruickshank.

The additional space will allow for the expansion of Pukete Neighbourhood House’s food service operations, which include catering services and providing healthy school lunches in partnership with the Ministry of Education. Having worked with one school since 2021, with the looming expansion, Pukete Neighbourhood House will be welcoming an additional school to their operations from Term 3, 2024.

As a charitable organisation navigating a dynamic funding landscape, exploring social enterprise opportunities is crucial. This new partnership exemplifies such an initiative, increasing revenue streams that will allow us to reinvest directly into our community.

General Manager of the Pukete Neighbourhood House, Scott Tiffany suggests that ,“This partnership not only will benefit both organisations, but our wider communities. This is an exciting time, and we look forward to a long partnership with the Riverlea Theatre and their dedicated team”.

25/06/2024