Rau rangatira mā, e kui mā, e koro mā, e huihui nei, tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou. Kia ora tātou katoa.
I’d like to begin by specifically acknowledging: Nettles Lamont, Chair of the Cholmondeley Children’s Centre; Darel Hall, General Manager; and Tutehounuku Korako, Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, Patron.
And to all the very special guests with us here this morning, including members of the Banks Peninsula community, and most importantly, our tamariki – tēnā koutou katoa.
I am delighted to join you here today, in this beautiful part of our country, to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Cholmondeley Children’s Centre. This extraordinary achievement stands testament, not only to the generous and deeply caring vision of Hugh Heber Cholmondeley, but also to all of the staff, supporters, and volunteers who have worked to uphold that vision over this past century.
Now before I get too far, some of you in the audience might be wondering who I am and what my job is. I wonder – how many of you have heard of someone called King Charles III?
King Charles is the King of England – but he is also the King of New Zealand. He lives on the other side of the world, and my job as Governor-General is to do his work for him here in New Zealand.
I meet all kinds of important people in my job – I meet world leaders and Olympic athletes and award-winning artists – but if I can tell you a small secret: my favourite bit is meeting young people like you. I hope that while you’re here at Cholmondeley, you make new friends, and enjoy learning and playing as much as you can in this beautiful place.
To all the staff of the Cholmondeley Children’s Centre here today – thank you for the work that you do to make this such a safe and loving environment for our tamariki. Your whakataukī, ‘Whakanuia a tatou tamariki. Value our children’, I see so clearly reflected and embodied in every detail of this wonderful facility – but most of all, in your own commitment and manaakitanga as carers and educators.
The United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child states that childhood should be a special, protected time – a time in which children should be allowed to grow, learn, and play with freedom and dignity. Even in my short time here, I see that Cholmondeley is a place that wholly upholds that promise – a place for tamariki to feel protected, nurtured, and loved; a place for learning and play, and seeing again the beauty, goodness, and wonder of this world, with that very particular vividness of childhood.
I wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge all those who support this facility, from the Banks Peninsula and wider Canterbury region – knowing that Cholmondeley relies upon the generosity of this community to carry out its invaluable work.
My sincerest thanks, finally, to all who have made today possible, and for inviting me here to mark this significant milestone with you all. The beautiful wairua of this place represents the courage and resolve of so many dedicated people, and carries the hopes, dreams, and wellbeing of many more. I wish everyone here, all the very best for your future.
No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.