Family Works still seeking home base

The Family Works Centre at Turret House, Fox St, Featherston. PHOTO/FILE

GIANINA SCHWANECKE
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Family Works Wairarapa is still in operation at Featherston’s Turret House as they have yet to find a permanent home for their new base in Masterton.

The agency announced in April this year that they would be moving from their home of more than 30 years.

Regional manager Deidre Dahlberg said the move “made sense”.

“We are already operating many of our services out of Masterton, particularly our family violence safety programmes and restorative justice,” she said.

“There’s a lot more collaboration with other child and family support services in Masterton now too.”

Family Works will continue to operate out of Turret House, which is owned by their parent company Presbyterian Support Central, until they secure a permanent base in Masterton.

PSC plans to sell the property after the move.

Dahlberg said while the time had come for Family Works to move, it wasn’t leaving Featherston completely.

“While Featherston won’t be our home base we’re still committed to the community. We’ll continue to offer counselling and community-based social services across the region.”

Dahlberg said the full range of services would continue to be offered, including social work, counselling, family therapy, family violence safety programmes, parenting education, mediation, restorative justice, mentoring and service co-ordination.

“It’s really sad that Turret House and the Featherston community will no longer be home base, but we’ll still be offering services here,” she said.

Family Works is also working to make sure the South Wairarapa Foodbank and their Wisdom and Well-being Group, which use space in the building, would continue to operate.

It seems likely the Foodbank will move into the Featherston Information Centre building.

Anyone with questions about the move or Family Works services is encouraged to contact them on 06 308 8028.