Tawa Staff (2)

Bernadette Pallister

BID MANAGER

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Phone: 021 971 937

Bernadette manages the day-to-day activities of the group, and is the “face” for the Tawa BID. This involves being the central point of contact for our members and external stakeholders, working with the Executive to achieve Business Plan outcomes and to manage all event and networking logistics. 

Gary Denton - Gary Denton Accounts

BID CHAIR AND TREASURER

Gary Denton has been in business as a Chartered Accountant from his office at 173 Main Road in Tawa since 1993. Gary has lived in Tawa most of his life attending local schools and Tawa College. He had both playing and governance roles with the Tawa Cricket and Rugby Clubs and is a Life Member of the Tawa Volunteer Fire Brigade where he provided 37 years of service to the community including a period as Chief Fire Officer

Zahabia Rehan

BID SUPPORT 

Zahabia Rehan is a professional with a deep understanding of social media, and digital marketing. In addition to her BID support expertise, Zahabia is also well-versed in SEO and content marketing strategies. She understands the importance of creating a strong online presence and knows how to leverage social media platforms effectively. Through her strategic approach, she can drive engagement, increase brand visibility, and generate leads for the business's website. You can reach Zahabia through - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ann Woolston - Smartway Builders

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Ann is the owner of Smartway Builders which was established in 2011 and they provide new build and renovations services across the great Wellington region and are located at 4 Oxford St, Tawa. Her husband Howard was born and bred in Tawa along with his 5 brothers and their children and some of their grandchildren are attending Tawa schools. In March 2021 Ann and Howard moved out of Tawa and are now based on the Kapiti Coast.

Judith Gray - Nada Bakery

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Judith has lived in Tawa for over 40 years and owns a business, Nada Bakery, both here and in Johnsonville. In addition to her role on the Tawa Business Group, Judith has been president of the Rotary Club of Tawa twice and is currently serving as a Trustee for Tawa Community Patrol and is Chair of The Rotary Children’s Health Trust. Judith was made a Life Member of the Baking Industry Association of New Zealand in 2016.

Mat King - Imagine That

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Mat is the business owner of Imagine That.

Paul Brown - Books and Post Shop

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Paul is the business owner of Tawa Books and Post.

 

Susan Hagan - Outlet City

BID SECRETARY

As BID Secretary, Susan is responsible for ensuring the Executive Committee adheres to the regulations as set out in our Incorporated Society Rules. Susan is the Manager of Outlet City

 

Tony Afendoulis – Lowe & Co.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Tony has worked, lived, and played in Tawa since 1987 and has worked in both retail and real estate. Tony currently works as a local real estate salesperson with the Collective and is an active Tawa Lions member as well as having been a Community and Youth Director and Vice President for the Tawa Lions. Tony is passionate about Tawa and making it a better and safer community and really wants to see Tawa grow.

Richard Herbert

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A Tawa resident for some 40 years, Richard retired five years ago after 40 years in the telecommunications industry with Telecom and Spark, mostly in the mobile network design area.

Now active in a number of local Tawa organisations, including a third term on the Tawa Community Board, a member and past president of Tawa Rotary, past president and committee member for Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves since 2002, and on executive committees of Tawa Residents Assn, Tawa Historical Society, Pest Free Tawa, and Secretary for the Camp Elsdon Board of Management. Richard also undertakes some admin work for his son’s electricians business and has a strong interest in renewable energy systems – he’s the proud owner of an electric car.

Tawa BID Video

Business Sector Videos

The Breeze - 24 Hours in Tawa

Tawa BID FAQ

What is a Business Improvement District?

After a successful poll in December 2016 the Tawa Business Improvement District (BID) was established to provide the foundation for a strong business association to represent Tawa that is sustainably funded through a reasonable targeted rate on businesses and commercial properties within a BID boundary.

The BID will use its funding for the betterment of the Tawa town centre - for example- collective marketing efforts, advocating for further investment into Tawa from stakeholders such as the Wellington City Council or addressing shared issues such as graffiti, poorly presented retail space or crime within the BID area.

The targeted rate is collected by the Wellington City Council (WCC) and passed on to the Tawa Business Group, who runs the BID activities and projects. This fund is managed by the Tawa Business Group for the benefit of the town centre on projects, promotions and advocacy designed to attract locals and visitors into Tawa.

How will this benefit me as a business owner/tenant?

Potential extra sales through increased foot traffic
An opportunity to join activities that create a vibrant and successful town centre
The ability to contribute to your own business success through a strong Business Group that has a unified voice with WCC and other key stakeholders.
An improved relationship between Tawa and WCC by working with council on town enhancement projects

How will this benefit me as a property owner?

A successful Tawa business community can enhance tenant attraction and property values, leading to better rental dividends.

Where does the Targetted Rate money go?

Into a fund managed by the Tawa Business Group executive committee.

What is the money spent on?

Implementing initiatives set out in a strategic plan developed by the Tawa Business Group with member input, the money will be spent on projects and promotions to attract people to Tawa. The Tawa Business Group is independent of the council and does not duplicate WCC functions. The Council has an oversight role rather than playing an active role in implementing the group's plan.

Do I get a say in how this all works?

Yes. Both business owners and property owners have the opportunity to attend discussion forums and meetings that shape the Group's strategic plan.

What is my involvement in the business association?

Ultimately, you decide how much you want to participate. All property owners and businesses within the BID area automatically become members of the Association and can vote to elect the Tawa Business Group's executive committee, which will meet regularly. All members may put forward a representative to be nominated for election to the committee.

When will I pay my levy?

The levy will be included in your quarterly rates bill.

How do I know what happens with my levy?

Annual accounts will be presented at the Association’s AGM and newsletters are sent to members every two months. WCC plays an oversight role to ensure the activities of the BID Association are properly managed within the intention and scope of the BID policy.

Have any other districts adopted the BID model?

Yes, it has been widely implemented in small towns and city suburbs, and has been very successful throughout NZ. Wellington has established five BIDs so far – Destination KRL (Kilbirnie, Rongotai and Lyall Bay),  Khandallah, Karori and Enterprise Miramar Peninsula. There are 48 Business Improvement Districts in the Auckland Council Region alone. The BID model is recognised internationally as a sustainable approach for creating a strong representative group for a business community not dependent on the efforts of a few passionate volunteers.

About Tawa

Tawa Flat was first settled by Pākehā in the mid-19th century under the direction of Edward Gibbon Wakefield of the New Zealand Company. It was divided into 100-acre blocks, providing some of the 100-acre "in the country" blocks that accompanied the one-acre "in town" (i.e., central Wellington) blocks, similar to other New Zealand Company settlements. Much of the eastern side of the Tawa valley came to be owned by a single family until the demand for housing land overtook the benefits of farming the land. In 1951, a Town District was established covering Tawa and Linden. Within two years this had become Tawa Flat Borough.

Today, Tawa is the northernmost suburb within the Wellington city boundary, located roughly 15 km north of Wellington's CBD between Churton Park and Porirua in the North Island of New Zealand. It takes its name from the broadleaf tree, which was once prolific throughout the area, although its most famous tree is the Bucket Tree, a large macrocarpa with the topiary of an upside-down bucket. Tawa is also known for its large number of churches, representing a wide range of Christian denominations.

The suburb of Tawa occupies the Tawa Basin. Within Tawa, there are a number of named areas: Lindenvale, Westhaven, Redwood and Southgate to the west and Linden, Greenacres and Sundale to the east of the central Tawa area.

Source: Wikipedia

Associate Membership Application

The Tawa Business Group is funded by group is funded by way of a targeted rate, which is levied on and collected from non-residential properties within a defined boundary.

Business located outside that defined boundary area are welcome to join the Tawa Business Group as an Associate Member.

The annual fee for Associate Membership is $350 + GST.

The key benefits to an Associate Member are:

• Receiving two-monthly newsletters with information on what’s happening in the BID, as well as upcoming activities and events
• Having your business and contact details included in our Business Directory on our website
• Receiving invitations to all Tawa Business Group events – networking events, business breakfasts, seminars, mentoring and training courses
• Receiving any discounts offered to full members

If you’d like to become an Associate Member, please complete and submit the form below.

Tawa Staff

Bernadette Pallister

BID MANAGER

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone: 021 971 937

Bernadette manages the day to day activities of the group, and is the “face” for the Tawa BID. This involves being the central point of contact for our members and external stakeholders, working with the Executive to achieve Business Plan outcomes and to manage all event and networking logistics. 

Tony Afendoulis

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Tony has worked, lived and played in Tawa since 1987 and has worked in both retail and real estate. Tony currently works as a local real estate salesperson with the Collective, and is an active Tawa Lions member as well as having been a Community and Youth Director and Vice President for the Tawa lions.

Tony is passionate about Tawa and making it a better and safer community and really wants to see Tawa grow.

Gary Denton - Gary Denton Accountants

BID CHAIR AND TREASURER 

Gary Denton has been in business as a Chartered Accountant from his office at 173 Main Road in Tawa since 1993. Gary has lived in Tawa most of his life attending local schools and Tawa College. He had both playing and governance roles with the Tawa Cricket and Rugby Clubs and is a Life Member of the Tawa Volunteer Fire Brigade where he provided 37 years of service to the community including a period as Chief Fire Officer

Susan Hagan - Outlet City

BID SECRETARY

As BID Secretary, Susan is responsible for ensuring the Executive Committee adheres to the regulations as set out in our Incorporated Society Rules. Susan is the Manager of Outlet City which houses 30 shops.

Richard Herbert

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A Tawa resident for some 40 years, Richard retired five years ago after 40 years in the telecommunications industry with Telecom and Spark, mostly in the mobile network design area.

Now active in a number of local Tawa organisations, including a third term on the Tawa Community Board, a member and past president of Tawa Rotary, past president and committee member for Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves since 2002, and on executive committees of Tawa Residents Assn, Tawa Historical Society, Pest Free Tawa, and Secretary for the Camp Elsdon Board of Management. Richard also undertakes some admin work for his son’s electricians business and has a strong interest in renewable energy systems – he’s the proud owner of an electric car.

Judith Gray - Nada Bakery

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Judith has lived and worked in the Northern Ward for over 30 years. In addition to her role on the Tawa Business Group, Judith was President of the Rotary Club of Tawa for 2019/2020.With a bakery already in Johnsonville, Nada opened a Tawa bakery and cafe in 2010.

Ann Woolston - Smartway Builders

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

After being born and bred in Bluff for the first 20 years of her life, Ann now both lives and works in Tawa. She and her husband are Directors of Smartway Builders which was established in 2011 and is located on Oxford Street, Tawa.

 

Zahabia Rehan

BID SUPPORT

Zahabia Rehan is a professional with a deep understanding of social media, and digital marketing. In addition to her BID support expertise, Zahabia is also well-versed in SEO and content marketing strategies. She understands the importance of creating a strong online presence and knows how to leverage social media platforms effectively. Through her strategic approach, she can drive engagement, increase brand visibility, and generate leads for the business's website.

You can reach Zahabia through - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.