A fledgling community hub in Corstorphine has been thrown a lifeline by the Salvation Army but the clock is still ticking on its long-term future.
Salvation Army Corps Officer and Community Ministries Director Andrew Moffatt said the corps had taken over the employment of hub co-ordinator Lisa Lindsay from the Dunedin Kindergarten Association.
He said the Kindergarten Association was focused on the education of young people whereas the hub had a much wider focus.
''They were after an umbrella organisation and we were asked because of some of our earlier involvement in the Corstorphine area,'' Mr Moffatt said.
However, he said the hub had to ''stand alone'' when it came to funding because the Salvation Army did not have any surplus in its budget for a new project.
''We are looking for other funding providers to come on board and to help in that community as well.''
Ms Lindsay said she was on sabbatical for 20 weeks from her job as an early childhood teacher with the Dunedin Kindergarten Association and that would run out in August.
''So I have got 20 weeks' leave to secure some more funding for the ongoing future of the hub.''
''It is providing many opportunities for whanau and it would be really sad to see the doors close because of the lack of funding.''
She said they were ''rich in human resources'' but lacked long-term funding.
The hub occupies part of the former Corstorphine School, alongside an early childhood centre run by the Dunedin Kindergarten Association.
It includes a community garden and a community kai day where people work in the garden and also get a hot meal and morning tea. There is a play group on Tuesdays and a kapa haka group is about to start up.
- by Dan Hutchinson
