Gary Cockram Hyundai Sponsorship
We are thrilled to showcase our brand new vehicles, courtesy of Gary Cockram Hyundai.
You better watch out 👀 'cos Braintree has a fresh set of wheels!
We are absolutely delighted with the latest addition to the Braintree fleet - our very own branded vehicles, courtesy of our friends at Gary Cockram Hyundai. How flash!
Dougal and the team at Gary Cockram have gone above and beyond to kit us out with the latest and greatest Hyundai models (a brand spanking new Venue and 2019 iMax), which will allow us to elevate our provided services to the people using our facility. Karla and Darral are stoked with their new rides.
Make sure to give us a toot if you spot them zipping around town!
Concrete = Poured
With the help of our friends from Isaac Construction, Allied Concrete, and Holcim, we poured the first foundations for the Braintree Centre last week.
WE LOVE CONCRETE, YES WE DO!
With the help of our friends from Isaac Construction, Allied Concrete, and Holcim New Zealand, we poured the first foundations for the Braintree Wellness Centre on Wednesday last week.
The main slab is scheduled for pour early this week - so we'll be praying for fine weather!
We are absolutely buzzing to see how fast the building is coming to life.
Check out the rest of the building progress here:
The Team behind the Building Design
Meet David Hill and James Arps from Wilson & Hill Architects, the masterminds behind Braintree’s design.
Meet David Hill and James Arps from Wilson & Hill Architects. They are the masterminds behind the Braintree building design and have been involved from the get-go.
They've been tolerant of our (many) requests, thorough in their design, and always thoughtful around the unique nature of the building. All have been immensely impressed by the calibre of architecture they have brought to the table!
We are so pleased that they've joined our growing team of anchor donors, and that our neighbours at The Cancer Society Canterbury-West Coast Division have also chosen to engage them for their new facility, which will be right beside the Braintree Centre.
Braintree's Site Blessing Ceremony
We held a special gathering on-site with Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga to bless the land.
We had a very special gathering on-site this morning, welcoming Liz Kereru and the Kaumātua from Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga to Braintree to whakanoa te whenua (bless the land).
We were so grateful to have the support of tangata whenua for this kaupapa, and we look forward to working closely together in the future.
"Poipoia te kakano, kia puawai - Nurture the seed and it will blossom".
Introducing Armitage Williams Construction
Announcing AWC as our Head Contractors for the Build Project.
We're delighted to announce that the team at Armitage Williams Construction Limited have accepted the challenge of building the Braintree Wellness Centre.
Pictured: Paul Williams, Aaron Leckenby and James Howard from Armitage Williams Construction.
Paul, Mason and the rest of the AWC team are just as passionate about the project as we are!
They strongly believe in the cause and their benevolence has been extraordinary. Welcome to the Anchor Donors club guys.
The Braintree Directors were lucky enough to check in on the progress of the civil works last week.
If you want to see more, you can check out Braintree’s site progress here:
$1.2 Million Reached
BrainTree is stoked to have reached $1.2 million in donations in the month of October.
Mission accomplished
Raising $1m was always going to be a big ask, so we're stoked to have reached $1.2 million in the month of October.
It's been a mammoth effort and we couldn't have done it without the backing of - quite literally - hundreds of supporters. We're extremely grateful to all the people who have contributed financially, in-kind and to all the volunteers who helped us achieve our mission.
We're now getting the builders lined up and we hope to start building in January 2021.
If you haven't already, it's not too late to become a BrainTree supporter - we have the building sorted but still need your help to fund the fit-out. For more information on how to help, head here.
Thank you for helping to make BrainTree a reality.
BrainTree Golfing with the Stars 2020
Our ‘Golfing with the Stars’ fundraiser on the 9th October went down a treat!
Our ‘Golfing with the Stars’ tournament on the 9th of October went down an absolute treat!
Masterminded by our logistics expert turned fundraiser, Brendan Prendergast, this was a golf tournament with a difference. Each four drew a celebrity golfer who joined them for the day, and boy were there some big hitters, literally. 🏌️
Spirits were high, there were no underarms here. There may have been a few balls left underwater, and one or two players who were under the weather by the end of the evening but it was all good fun, and we were delighted how everyone rallied behind the cause.
The universal feedback was "we'll be back next year", which is awesome 'cos it hadn't dawned on us that we would press replay. Huge thanks must go to our stars, who contributed so much to the day, to all 25 teams who entered, to the sponsors, to the volunteers, to the team at Clearwater. You were all stars! ⭐
The BrainTree Launch Event
On the 1st of October BrainTree hosted its official public fundraising launch event at the Christchurch Art Gallery with over 300 supporters and friends.
On the 1st of October BrainTree hosted its official public fundraising launch event at the Christchurch Art Gallery with over 300 supporters and friends.
It was an incredible evening. We were overwhelmed by the generosity of the guests present, and their willingness to support the cause. There was an incredible energy in the room.
We have raised $4 million so far, or 80% of the funds needed and are now seeking public donations for the final $1 million to make the BrainTree Wellness Centre a reality.
If you would like to join the ever-growing band of BrainTree supporters, learn more here.
BrainTree Special Preview
BrainTree hosted a special presentation for members and friends of Dementia Canterbury and Multiple Sclerosis & Parkinson’s Canterbury.
One of the coldest days of the year didn't stop more than 120 members and friends of Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's Society of Canterbury and Dementia Canterbury from attending our special preview last Thursday.
We had a full house and there was a real buzz at the Bridge Club, as Brendan and Simon presented our plans for the BrainTree centre.
We were blown away by the response - there was a huge amount of energy and warmth in the room, which was incredibly heartening. It's inspired us even more to see this project succeed!
BrainTree Wellness Centre reaches first milestone
BrainTree has reached it’s first milestone - raising $2 million in March - and has now been given the green light to purchase the land.
We're so excited 🥳 and grateful 🙏🙏🙏
We've reached our first milestone - raising $2 million in March - and now we've been given the green light to purchase the land.
It's all go on the detailed design and we're aiming to have consents and be ready to start building in September.
There are so many people to thank for getting us to this stage so quickly.
We are incredibly fortunate to have received support from a relatively small group of anchor benefactors whose generosity is both overwhelming and humbling. They loved the idea of a centre to help people with neurological conditions to live well.
We also received substantial grants from Rātā Foundation and the Christchurch City Council.
The Covid-19 level 4 lockdown curtailed our fundraising efforts over the past month. However, with the move to level 2, we are resuming our contact with potential donors. We are also preparing for a public fundraising campaign over winter to raise the final funds we need to start building. We have many creative ideas and we would love you to be involved with these.
We are seeking expressions of interest from like-minded groups or businesses who wish to become co-tenants of the BrainTree centre. There is up to 300 m2 of office and/or consulting space available to accommodate a range of tenants. All options are being considered, from hot desks to a fully self-contained office.
There are a number of ways to become involved as a supporter of BrainTree:
💥 Donations – not just money, your contribution could be in kind; in product/services to support the building project, or could be raffled or auctioned to raise funds.
💥 You might be able to offer us a low-interest loan.
💥 You could help by introducing us to potential tenants, or to organisations who might be interested in supporting BrainTree.
BrainTree is a very exciting project to be involved with and it's fast becoming a reality. We'll keep you posted on how we're progressing and we'd love to hear from you if you can help in any way.
You can contact us by email at maddie@canterburybraincollective.org or simon@canterburybraincollective.org. Or by phone at 021 246 0451.
To find out more about BrainTree visit www.canterburybraincollective.org or follow us on Facebook.
Sufferers of MS, Parkinson's and Dementia to benefit from new centre
Chris Lynch from Newstalk ZB discusses the new BrainTree centre with Director, Simon Challies.
Proposed BrainTree Wellness Centre on Langdons Road, Papanui
The Canterbury Brain Collective has purchased a site in Langdons Road in Papanui for the proposed $6.3 million BrainTree Centre for Canterbury people living with neurological conditions.
Canterbury Brain Collective Director Simon Challies told Chris Lynch the land purchase is a huge milestone for BrainTree which will be the first wellness centre of its kind in the country offering innovative world-class therapy and support for those with neurological conditions.
Chris Lynch 15:00, May 11 2020
Multi-million dollar health and wellness centre on the way
In a world-first, a multi-million dollar wellness centre with an aim to break-down the stigma surrounding neurological disorders is set to open in Christchurch next year.
Former Ryman Healthcare chief executive Simon Challies and Multiple Sclerosis & Parkinson's Canterbury president Tessa Kain at the site where BrainTree will be built. Photo: Geoff Sloan
In a world-first, a multi-million dollar wellness centre with an aim to break-down the stigma surrounding neurological disorders is set to open in Christchurch next year.
BrainTree is the latest project by former Ryman Healthcare chief executive Simon Challies, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2011 and admits for seven years he never got in contact with anyone else suffering from the same disorder.
“There is a real stigma to having these conditions, people don’t seek out support freely and tend to hide away and don’t own up to it and I can tell you that because I did that. I took seven years before I even met another person with Parkinson’s.
“People are staunch, protective and private about it, but that doesn’t help with the condition, in fact it does the opposite,” Mr Challies said.
The $6.3 million BrainTree project has been developed by the Canterbury Brain Collective, a joint venture between Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Canterbury, and Dementia Canterbury.
Anticipating a 2021 opening, the centre has secured a site on Langdons Rd in in Papanui and has already gained $2.5 million in funding from private investors and $100,000 from the Christchurch City Council’s 2019/20 capital endowment fund.
Later this year, the CDC will take its fundraising campaign public.
A design image of BrainTree, which will be located on Langdons Rd in Papanui. Image: Supplied
BrainTree will be different from other neurological clinics worldwide as it won’t be a medical centre, residential facility or based in a hospital.
The community-based wellness centre will be available for all people living with any neurological conditions.
Said Mr Challies: “It’s a place where people could feel comfortable to catch up with friends attend gym classes, yoga classes, dance classes, explore the café and seminar rooms where they could attend regular education sessions.”
“We’ll provide practical everyday support with a unique total-wellness approach - covering exercise, diet, cognitive stimulation, education and social connection,” said the centre’s website.
A year after his diagnoses, Mr Challies met with a United States specialist, who told him the people who lived well with neurological conditions were the people who “ate super healthy, physically and mentally challenged themselves, had social contact and slept well”, he said.
“I had a revelation," Mr Challies said.
"At the time I approached him because I wanted to know whether or not carrying on in my role as CEO of Ryman was putting myself into an early grave and he said 'no, you probably feel quite fatigued but it wouldn’t change the progression of the disease'.”
Other big local names behind the new project, aside from Mr Challies, the co-founder of post-earthquake social media project Braveheart Chch, includes Graeme Marriott, founding partner of accounting firm Marriotts, now Nexia NZ, and Brendan Prendergast, former director and founder of MOVE Logistics Ltd.
A design image of BrainTree. Image: Supplied
Quick facts
Dementia is not one specific disease, but an umbrella term that is used to describe more than 70 different illnesses that affect the brain. It can cause problems with memory, everyday tasks, like handling money and issues with communication and perception.
Within the next 20 years, the number of Cantabrians with dementia is set to double to 30,000 - the current population of Timaru.
By 2043, a quarter of Canterbury’s population will be aged 65 or over, up from 15.2 per cent in 2013.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a condition that affects the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cords.
It is believed that about one in 1000 New Zealanders have a diagnosis of MS.
Parkinson’s is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects your movement. It develops gradually, sometimes starting as a tremor but may show as stiffness or slowness of movement.
About one in 500 people have Parkinson’s. The average age of diagnosis is 59 and it is believed that one per cent of people over the age of 60 have the condition.
Sophie Cornish 12:00, Mar 03 2020
Wellness centre could 'change lives' of those with neurological conditions in Canterbury
Simon Challies started to notice symptoms four or five years before his diagnosis. He would go running in Hagley Park at lunch and his right leg would go weak.
A new organisation is fundraising to build a dedicated wellness centre to help those with neurological conditions. Photo: Joesph Johnson
Simon Challies started to notice symptoms four or five years before his diagnosis. He would go running in Hagley Park at lunch and his right leg would go weak.
Challies, the former managing director of Ryman Healthcare, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease – a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement – in 2011 when he was 41.
But it took six years before he sought contact with other people with the disease, or a related support group.
"There's lots of people like me who are ... in fear and just hide away."
The number of Cantabrians with neurological conditions like Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and dementia is expected to double by 2040, reaching 30,000 people – about the population of Timaru.
Challies stood down from Ryman in 2017, but his illness has inspired a new project: New Zealand's first wellness centre.
The BrainTree centre – being developed by the Canterbury Brain Collective, a joint venture by Dementia Canterbury and Multiple Sclerosis & Parkinson's Canterbury – will house both organisations and other groups that support people to live well with neurological conditions.
It will feature a gym, yoga and dance studio, seminar rooms, a whole foods cafe and a meeting place. It has been designed to encourage people to live well with their conditions and adopt healthy lifestyle choices.
Because people with neurological disorders can be reluctant to talk about it or seek out information, the centre has been designed to be a welcoming, appealing place.
"I think it's got the potential to change people's lives," Challies said.
After his diagnosis, he went to the United States to see a specialist for a second opinion and advice.
"In his experience, the people who live the best with these conditions are the people who eat super healthy, physically challenge themselves, mentally challenge themselves, keep up the social contact and get good sleep," Challies said.
The 50-year-old goes walking in the hills two or three times a week, does yoga and follows a gluten-free and mostly plant-based diet.
After leaving Ryman (a job that came with long hours and a lot of responsibility), Challies found he was less stressed and, while living well, he could reduce the amount of medication he was taking to manage the disorder.
"I think that's the biggest thing I've discovered, that medication is only part of the solution. Actually looking after yourself and living well can make as much impact, if not more."
About $2.5 million has been raised for the project in the past three or four weeks, about half of what is needed to go ahead with the purchase of a property on Langdons Rd, Papanui, Challies said. The total cost will be more than $6m and the collective expects to start a public appeal in the next few months.
Subject to meeting the fundraising targets, construction is set to begin this year and the centre is due to open in 2021.
Dr Matthew Croucher, a national leader in the dementia sector who works for the Canterbury District Health Board, said dementia illnesses, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis were all much more likely to occur as people got older.
"Because the community in Canterbury is becoming older on average – quite rapidly – all these conditions are becoming more common as a percentage of the whole community."
Oliver Lewis 14:00, Mar 03 2020