Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
3 mins ago
Te Pūkenga Chief Executive Peter Winder(right) meets Glenn Fulcher, who led the clean-up team at the Hawke’s Bay Campus during a visit last week.
Te Pūkenga Chief Executive Peter Winder has visited the EIT Hawke’s Bay campus to view the recovery following the devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.
Ninety per cent of buildings on the Hawke’s Bay Campus sustained silt and water damage. A fallen tree also caused damage to one of the lecture theatres.
Peter visited the Campus last Thursday (02/03/2023) to view the damage and recovery for himself. He had lunch with kaimahi and volunteers involved in the clean-up, and also met with the EIT | Te Pūkenga Executive Team.
Executive Director, Strategic Projects and Partnerships at EIT | Te Pūkenga, Glen Harkness, says local staff were pleased that Peter took the time to visit the Campus.
“We are pleased that Peter was able to come and see for himself the damage that was done by Cyclone Gabrielle.”
“We have had a core group of kaimahi who have worked extremely hard to clean up and begin the recovery process. They appreciated being able to meet with Peter and for him to acknowledge the work they are doing.”
Peter said: “EIT | Te Pūkenga is an important part of the Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti communities and will continue to be.
“My visit was a sobering insight into the scale of the damage and the challenges our people and learners are facing. The team on the ground are doing a fantastic job in responding to Cyclone Gabrielle – whether through the physical clean up or in supporting ākonga, colleagues and our wider community. They are not alone; we are focused on how we provide support from across the country to make sure that we are back up and running as soon as possible.”
