CASE STUDY • COMMUNITY • LOWER HUTT
BEYOND THE JOB
Since 2006, JT Group has shown up for Te Omanga Hospice year after year, washing and maintaining the building at no cost. A relationship built not on contract, but on community.
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Some relationships cannot be explained by a service agreement. For nearly two decades, JT Group has returned to Te Omanga Hospice every year to wash and maintain the building, at no cost. What began as a single act of community generosity in 2006 has become one of JT Group's most enduring relationships, and a quiet expression of exactly who they are as a business.
THE CHALLENGE
A building to care for, on a budget that can't stretch.
Te Omanga Hospice exists to care for people at the most vulnerable time of their lives. Like many not-for-profits, every dollar matters, and maintaining a building to the standard a hospice deserves is a cost that can strain a tight budget.
In 2006, the hospice's existing building needed a repaint, and funding it was not straightforward. What happened next did not come from a tender process or a commercial negotiation. It came from a person who saw a need and decided to do something about it.
THE ORIGIN
A Rotary connection, and a generous gesture.
Joe Tomlinson, founder J Tomlinson and Co Limited, of what is now JT Group, was deeply embedded in the Lower Hutt community. When the hospice needed help, he did not just lend a hand. He made it his project.
He rallied the community.Through his local Rotary groups, Joe organised members to fundraise for the repaint of the hospice's building.
He gave himself. Joe contributed substantially to the repaint personally, and Tomlinson Painters, the business that would grow into JT Group, carried out the work.
He made a promise no one asked for. JT Group would return every year to wash the building and maintain its appearance, at no cost to the hospice.
“Joe Tomlinson organised all of the Rotary groups to raise funds to pay for the repaint of our existing building. I know that he contributed substantially himself, and then committed to maintaining the quality by washing every year at no cost.”
THE COMMITMENT
When the building came down, the commitment didn’t.
Years later, Te Omanga Hospice faced an unwanted challenge. The original building was found to be earthquake-prone and had to be demolished, and a new building was constructed in its place.
JT Group didn’t need to be asked twice. Without prompting, they extended their commitment to the new building, returning each year to wash the windows, clean the exterior, and keep the facility at the standard a hospice environment demands.
“JT Group just continued that commitment to come back and maintain our new building, making sure we’re maintaining the quality all the time”
THE RESULT
Two decades of generosity.
What began as a community act in 2006 has grown into one of JT Group’s most enduring relationships, not because it’s profitable, but because it reflects exactly who they are. For the hospice, it means a well-maintained facility year after year, with no budget impact for JT Group, it’s a quiet but powerful expression of their values: showing up for the communities they’re part of, without being asked and without fanfare.
“I’m just blown away that JT Group is celebrating 40 years in business. I think that really speaks to their relationships with their customers. That’s a massive milestone to celebrate in any business.”
Biddy Harford, Chief Executive, Te Omanga Hospice
For a hospice that depends on the goodwill of the community it serves, having a partner like JT Group in their corner means more that any service agreement could capture.
“They’re so generous in what they do for the hospice”
Rooted in the community since 1986
A partner who shows up.
From supermarkets and high-rises to the not-for-profits at the heart of the Hutt. JT Group is the team that keeps your building at its best.