By Roselyn Fauth
If you are anything like me, you probably never visited The Croft until someone you love moved in. I had always assumed it was run by a church, and like most rest homes, that it probably made enough money through aged care services to sustain itself. But this was totally wrong, and what I learned was a remarkable story of women volunteering together in their hundreds who saw a need and got on with meeting it.
In 1918, while New Zealand was still reeling from the losses of the First World War and the ravages of the flu pandemic, a group of women formed the Women’s Auxiliary to support orphaned and vulnerable children in South Canterbury. Fathers were lost, incomes disappeared, mental illness was not well understood, and many children were sent away. The women responded by sewing, baking, mending, and fundraising. They did not wait for government help. They did not ask for permission. They simply got stuck in...
Over the next seventy years, these women provided clothing and furnishings, managed properties, supported the opening of rest homes, and advocated fiercely for the care of the elderly. In 1947, they helped open the Margaret Wilson Rest Home, one of the first dedicated homes of its kind in the not just South Canterbury but the country. By 1968, the Auxiliary celebrated its fiftieth annual general meeting. They had emerged from supporters to shaping policy and leading major projects across South Canterbury.
In 1973, these women opened the Goodwill Shop in the Royal Arcade in Timaru. It became more than just a second-hand store. It became a fundraising lifeline for care services across the region. More than 300 women from 26 parishes gave their time to run it. It raised close to one million dollars before it finally closed in 2013 after forty years of service.
The shop sold everything from clothing and linen to crafts and preserves. It was thread and sugar, generosity and effort, turned into action. The women ran the shop not as a side project, but as a form of leadership. They built sustainable income before terms like social enterprise were even a thing. And they did it all while caring for their families and communities.
“If there is a need, do it.” — Yvonne McDonald, volunteer for over thirty years - from a brochure A Stich in Time by Presbyterian Support
In 1975, the Women’s Auxiliary became a formal society, and by 1976, the general committee was restructured into the official board of Presbyterian Support South Canterbury. Their influence helped embed the role of women in governance, even if the board still had a three-to-six ratio of women to men.
The Croft: From Home to Haven
In 1968, Lorna Grant and her husband Hamish gifted their retirement home, The Croft, to the Presbyterian Support Services Association. They wanted others to enjoy the beauty and peace the place had brought them. After Lorna died in 1972, the Auxiliary women raised $150,000 dollars. Their efforts, alongside a government contribution, led to the opening of The Lorna and Hamish Grant Eventide Home in 1980. It was the first rest home of its kind in New Zealand.
In 1988, due to changes in employment law and shifts in structure, the Women’s Auxiliary was formally wound up by the PSSC board. But their work and values never ended. They were woven into the fabric of the organisation.
These women were administrators, treasurers, marketers, and organisers. They navigated church structures, led boards, and helped transform governance. They were community builders and change makers, often without formal titles or salaries. Their influence did not fade. In 2018, Carolyn Cooper became the first female chief executive officer of Presbyterian Support South Canterbury. Today, the senior leadership team includes more women than men, with a board composed of a six to three majority of women.
“That was a time of the women’s era… it is a great tribute to the women and to the community.” — Shirley Andrews, former volunteer and board member
Today, The Croft is home to more than one hundred residents. The values it was built on are still present in every warm meal, every gentle word, every act of care. And behind it all is the quiet legacy of thread and sugar, carried by women who never needed a title to be leaders.
They saw a need. They did something about it. And in doing so, they built a system of care that still holds today.
Historical details and quotes are drawn from the “A Stitch in Time” project by Presbyterian Support South Canterbury, 2024 and their website: https://pssc.org.nz/homestead-heritage-project-history/