Our history
A lasting legacy
We opened our doors in February 1930, providing a stable and secure home for tamariki and rangatahi affected by events such as World War I & II, and the Great Depression. Since then, we have continued to support tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau, from all walks of life, through challenging times.
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Dingwall Trust founder, David McNair Dingwall
The Trust is the legacy of David McNair Dingwall, a devout Presbyterian, and frugal hard worker, whose endeavours allowed him to amass a significant estate in the years before World War I. With no tamariki of his own, his will instructed the formation of a trust to create the Dingwall Trust Orphanage.
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David Dingwall’s clear vision was for a high-quality environment that was uplifting for the tamariki and rangatahi who lived here. The original holding was a 50ha farm in Papatoetoe with a village at its heart, surrounding a grassed oval. The substantial red-brick cottages were designed to last by one of New Zealand’s best-regarded architectural firms at the time – Gummer and Ford. The property and communal living provided many learning and work-experience opportunities for tamariki and rangatahi, building character and giving them the skills necessary to go out into the world, find a job and make a life.
Today, Papatoetoe occupies most of the original farm. But, in testament to our founder’s vision, the red-brick cottages still stand (although modernised inside). They remain in a park-like setting with many communal facilities – continuing to provide a haven for tamariki and rangatahi more than 90 years later.
READ DINGWALL’S 90TH BIRTHDAY STORY
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