Wrapping up a busy season of community connection
It’s been a rewarding few months for our team, getting out and about across the region, supporting community events, connecting with locals, and helping keep conversations about electricity safety, reliability and resilience front of mind.
Community gatherings are an important way for us to meet customers face-to-face, listen to what matters to them, and share the role we play in powering everyday life across our network.
Fieldays collaboration puts safety in the spotlight
Fieldays provided a valuable opportunity this year, where we joined forces with other electricity distribution businesses to create a shared presence focused on safety and resilience.
The collaboration reflected how the sector works together behind the scenes, while providing us with the opportunity to connect with a wide cross-section of the community, and reinforce safety messages that help protect everyone on the farm, at home, at work, and in the community.
Supporting community connection through rugby
As a customer-owned network, we’re proud to support events that bring people together and strengthen community connections.
This included our sponsorship of the Waikato XV match against Hong Kong China at Albert Park in Te Awamutu on 24 June. Despite the rain, there was a strong local turnout which saw the local team narrowly lose by two points. With free entry helping open the gates to all, the match created a strong sense of occasion, bringing families, clubs and supporters together and reflecting the important role rugby continues to play across Waipā.
Strengthening our Kāwhia connection
We’re spending more time in Kāwhia and surrounding areas, getting out into the community to better understand local needs and how we can continue to improve network delivery and reliability for customers in the area.
Earlier this year, our attendance at the Kāwhia Kai Festival provided a valuable opportunity to connect directly with locals, hear what matters to them, and continue building relationships in the community.
Being present is an important part of how we operate as a local lines company. It helps us build a clearer picture of how our network supports homes, businesses, and everyday life, while also helping our work be better understood as an essential service that supports community resilience and wellbeing.
Championing women in infrastructure
We were proud to again sponsor the annual Girls in Infrastructure event, which brought together 90 students from 17 Waikato high schools.
Events like this play an important role in helping showcase the fantastic pathways available in engineering and infrastructure, creating pathways for the next generation, and supporting our commitment to building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve.
Keeping whānau warm this winter
As colder temperatures set in, our team has also been working alongside community partners to deliver Winter Warmer Packs to local households who may need a little extra support during winter.
The packs provide practical assistance to help whānau stay warm, safe and well, while reinforcing our commitment to the wellbeing of our community.
What’s next?
As we move into the second half of 2026, we’re looking forward to continuing conversations, strengthening relationships, and identifying practical ways to support reliable, safe and connected communities across the region.
Whether through local partnerships, community initiatives or direct engagement, our focus will remain on activities that support safety, reliability, resilience, education and stronger community connection across our network.