Good Sorts: The tiny town of Tapanui that raised millions to bring back its health services

November 15, 2020

For many towns, when the last GP packs up and leaves, it’s the beginning of the end.

This week's Good Sorts is about a group of people in Otago who galvanised a community effort to fundraise for a new medical centre. 

For many towns, when the hospital closes and gets demolished and the sole GP leaves town, it's the beginning of the end.

But it was not so for the tiny town of Tapanui which decided to raise millions to bring their health services back despite a population of 900.

At Tapanui’s only rest home there are signs everywhere, not for safety, but sponsorship. The building itself has a name sponsorship.

There are even parking bollards and each room has a benefactor.

After the hospital had been closed, there wasn’t even a doctor. Now Tapanui has its own rest home and medical centre, complete with a doctor and nurses.

The tiny town rebuilt its health services the old-fashioned way, by earning it - that's $2.5 million raised by a town of less than 1,000 people.

For the full story, watch the video above.
 

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