Our story begins in 1911, when successful Otakeho dairy farmer Walter Dutton Powdrell (who would go on to be a Member of Parliament for Pātea) moved his whānau into a grand new home (built for £2,500) on Puriri Street, Hāwera.

In 1947, the property was purchased by St Joseph’s Parish, Hāwera, and converted into a hostel. In 1949, locals started calling it the Polish Boys’ Home after a group of Polish 9-14-year-olds moved in. The boys had come to New Zealand as refugees during World War II and needed somewhere to live when the Pahiatua refugee camp closed in 1949.

As demand for aged care services grew, so did Calvary Hospital. In 1963, the Mary Potter Wing increased the facility’s capacity from 13 to 32 beds. Over the years, the hospital and services adapted to meet the region’s evolving needs. At different times, Calvary has had an operating theatre, x-ray facilities, and has provided specialist care for surgical and psychiatric residents.

In 1979, the Little Company of Mary—with the assistance of the Lions Club of South Taranaki and the support of Hāwera and South Taranaki residents—developed the Calvary-Lions flats. The seven pensioner flats are right next to the hospital (two more were added in 2001). Unfortunately, the increased cost of maintaining the flats has resulted in them becoming unviable. There demolition and replacement with Villas will provide the village with more appropriate living options.  

In 1990, many of the original buildings— including the hospital —were moved off-site. On 17 March 1991, a new purpose-built 29-bed rest home and hospital was officially opened by Bishop Owen Dolan.

This modern facility marked a shift toward purpose-designed spaces, better equipped to better meet residents needs and rising expectations.  

In 1998, after more than four decades of service in Hāwera, the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary made the decision to step away from facility ownership. In September 1999, Trinity Home and Hospital Limited, a newly formed not-for-profit charitable trust, purchased the site and assumed operations.

Trinity has continued to honour the site’s legacy of compassionate care and strategic evolution to meet the changing needs of our community. In 2005 Trinity undertook a major refurbishment of the hospital wing, adding nine more rooms, including the Mildred Walker Suite. In 2009 Trinity built South Taranaki’s first level 3 dementia care facility — the Cullen Dementia Care wing.

In 2014 Trinity built a new and modern kitchen, dining room, and laundry. This extension allowed the facility to expand from 60 bed to a 78-bed facility.