On a sunny Autumn day in April 2021 three Crusaders, Jack Goodhue, Oli Jager, and Leicester Faingaanuku spent an afternoon at Cholmondeley House meeting and playing games with the children. There was a lot of excitement as the players arrived at the beautiful Governors Bay charity home.
As part of our commitment to giving back to local communities and businesses, Aotea Electric Canterbury sponsors the Crusaders and Cholmondeley Children’s Home. With ‘player time’ available to us, we felt it would be a fantastic treat for the children and organised the visit.
Crusaders Oli Jager, Leicester Faingaanuku, and Jack Goodhue with Paul and Robbie from Aotea Electric Canterbury
After a tour of the amazing facilities, the players were led by the children outside into the sun. All three players were fantastic with the children, answering questions, signing flags (many times!), and literally throwing themselves into the games and activities. We overheard Oli being asked if The Crusaders would ever play the All Blacks and ‘what has been your worst defeat!’
Crusader Jack Goodhue coaches some of the children at Cholmondeley Children’s Centre
From the trampoline to the scooters, climbing frame to basketball net, everyone had fun in the sun. The views across the bay are simply stunning. What a great place to offer a safe haven for Canterbury children.
The Aotea team were busy beforehand baking cakes and decorating them in our corporate colours. These cakes were plated ready for dessert when dinner was served, as we all left. It was hard to keep them safe from eager hands!
Aotea’s cupcakes didn’t last very long!
The visit ended with a group photoshoot. An afternoon filled with laughter, excitement, fun and lots of games. It was a privilege to organise and host the visit and we would like to thank everyone involved. The three players were simply brilliant with the kids and we’re sure long-lasting happy memories were made.
Leicester Faingaanuku with some very happy fans
About Cholmondeley
Cholmondeley Children’s Centre (Chum-lee) offers short-term respite care for whānau with children aged 3-12. Respite care can be accessed in times of family stress or crisis, or this can be a planned stay and allows for a greater focus on wellbeing for everyone and is accessible to whānau through referrals.
The charity has supported close to 30,000 Canterbury children since 1925 and now cares for over 500 children every year.
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