Flying start to new Mega project
A vacant piece of industrial land in Nelson will become a hive of charitable activity as an ambitious project to build a house inside two months was announced.
The latest Mitre 10 Mega Helping Hands project, ‘Building for the Future’ was unofficially launched yesterday, with the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter giving five Mega staff an unforgettable break from work to fly into what will soon become a building site.
To celebrate the expansion of its trade department, Mitre 10 Mega Nelson has partnered with the local branch of New Zealand Certified Builders Association to build a three-bedroom, 149-square metre house on AMP Capital-owned Nelson Junction land beside the Mitre 10 Mega store in Annesbrook.
The house will be built by various members of the Nelson Certified Builders Association, commencing on September 2. Crews will be rostered to work on the build over the following eight weekends.
Open homes will be held most weekends, allowing the public an opportunity to see the building process.
The house will then be auctioned by Summit Real Estate on November 18, with proceeds going to the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Endowment Trust. It will then be relocated to the owner’s choice of site anywhere in the top of the south.
Summit sales and auction manager Ben Nalder said the company was in the process of securing a suitable section for the winner.
Mitre 10 Mega marketing co-ordinator Murray Leaning said the initiative had drawn support from across the business community.
‘‘What we want to be able to do is showcase how we can build a house from the ground up - and what better way to do that than through a charity build where someone gets to benefit from it.’’
The endowment trust was established in 2016 in response to the decline in funding available in the community, and the reliance on gaming machine income.
NMRH’s Paula Muddle said the trust was vital in establishing a secure revenue stream to ensure it continued to operate a world class rescue helicopter service.