Our Purpose
The SOHST is a charitable Trust that has been established to provide financial assistance for healthcare services and related items via a voucher system for people of limited financial means.
How it all came together
Raewyn Snell (Public Health Nurse) organised a few meetings with the combined ministers and then they invited potential interested parties such as Budget Advice, A PHO representative and asked within the minister group were there any members wanting to actively be part of the Trust. The ministers had approached Sue Simpson to represent them as they had knowledge that she had done several funding applications in the past. At this point Peter Ross started making enquiries about setting up Trust Deeds and approached a local lawyer to assist with this process. Jean Proctor Clutha Community Co-ordinator provided us with written information and guidelines about how to set-up a Trust. At the first actual Trust meeting it was discussed the need for Maori representation and had two local people in mind who had knowledge of health and a strong connection with local Ruanaga.
Near the end of 2012 the South Otago Health Support Trust was officially set up.
The Vision
For several years the Balclutha Public Health Nurses were aware that their colleagues in Oamaru were able to access a health support trust for financial assistance for their clients. This financial assistance involved having doctor consultation and pharmacy fees paid for on behalf of their clients who are unable to afford these services.
It became more apparent during 2011/2012 financial constraints on families living in the Clutha District, which is also being experienced nationally and globally due to an economic recession. The Public Health Nurses and other health providers were aware of clients unable to afford to access medical services and counselling etc.
In January 2012 Raewyn Snell Public Health Nurse contacted Anne Wilkinson from the North Otago Health Support Service to enquire how they operate their service. This group is linked to the Oamaru Combined Churches Outreach. Raewyn arranged to meet with the Clutha Ministers Association in March 2012 to discuss the vision she had to set up a similar service in South Otago and outline what was currently occurring in North Otago. Raewyn discussed the need for a small committee to be formed consisting of people with an appropriate skill mix such as the ability to complete applications for funding and secure funding, process invoices and manage funds.
Our Trustees
Raewyn Snell
Raewyn was brought up in the South Otago community completing her schooling locally and then went onto complete a Diploma in Nursing in 1988 at Otago Polytechnic. Raewyn has practiced as a Public Health Nurse for the Southern District Health Board since 1994 in the Clutha District. Raewyn is married with two children. Raewyn has been involved in a variety of volunteering roles over the years, but more recently coaching her children’s sport and ongoing input of The Kaka Point Directory. Raewyn within her role as a Public Health Nurse identified the need to form The South Otago Health Support Trust and secured the initial funding for this to occur in 2012. In her spare time Raewyn enjoys horse riding and mountain biking and spending time with her children and their various activities.
Chairperson
Chris Shaw
Chris has lived in the Clutha Valley area for most of her life attending Clutha Valley Primary School and South Otago High School. After studying at (the then) Dunedin Teachers College and Otago University, she returned to Clutha Valley where she taught for many years in a fulltime then part time and relief role. Chris and her husband, Garth, farm at Wharetoa and have had active community involvement over the years. They have three adult children and five grandchildren who do not live locally. Chris’s interests centre around the farm and family, and the community. She enjoys interaction with elderly folk, loves babies and children, and animals and enjoys meeting members of our migrant community. She believes that in order to care for our vulnerable, particularly children, we need to care for carers. Chris became a SOHST Trustee in 2022. She strongly believes that healthcare should be accessible to all regardless of barriers and feels that SOHST is positively proactive in assisting to overcome some of these barriers.
TrusteeLee-Anne Michelle
Lee-Anne was raised in Timaru before moving to Dunedin in 1993. She studied and worked in Dunedin before settling in Milton in 2001. Lee-Anne is a Financial Mentor and manager of the Clutha Budget Advisory Service / Food Hub. Alongside a Graduate Diploma in Not for Profit Management, Lee-Anne has completed the NZ Certificate in Health & Wellbeing (Community). Lee-Anne has strong links to her local community raising three children and holding volunteer roles in several organisations over the years. Lee-Anne’s interests include gardening, reading and exploring Otago & Southland’s scenery.
TrusteeAlister Frengley
Whilst brought up in Christchurch, completing a Bachelor of Commerce Degree, Alister’s family has a connection to South Otago going back several generations. After managing State housing in Otago and Southland, he moved into the legal area managing District Courts in Otago and Southland for many years. Now based in the small community at Taieri Mouth, he has recently moved into the Health sector managing the Otago/Southland area for a large private company delivering homebased customer care. In his spare time Alister enjoys home building projects, fishing and has recently become immersed in genealogy.
TrusteeKate Flett-Scott
TrusteeKate grew up in South Otago and has a background in early childhood teaching. She now works as a Whānau Worker with Anglican Family Care, supporting parents and whānau through the Family Start contract in South Otago. In her role, Kate works alongside families to strengthen parenting confidence, build on existing strengths, and support the wellbeing, safety, learning, and development of tamariki. She brings a warm, practical, and relationship-focused approach to her mahi, grounded in empathy, respect, and a commitment to helping whānau feel connected, capable, and supported.
Kate is also a proud mum of five school-aged children, giving her a strong understanding of the everyday realities, joys, and challenges of family life. Alongside her husband, she helps run a family business and is actively involved in a range of community groups and boards.
Eileen Rudolph
Eileen and her husband immigrated to New Zealand from South Africa in 2018 to join their daughter and son who immigrated some years earlier. She now has 5 kiwi grandchildren. Eileen owned her own business in South Africa for 22 years, administering a bursary scheme for a multi-national company for students who had the potential to succeed at tertiary education but without financial assistance, would not be able to do so. She feels privileged to have been given the position of administrator for the SOHST and is proud to be a part of this worthy organization. Eileen enjoys travelling and spending time with her family in her spare time.
Administrator