Ruby and Rata Fundraiser

Join acclaimed New Zealand film maker Dame Gaylene Preston for a very special screening of Ruby and Rata to support a vital cause—raising funds for an overnight shelter for Napier's homeless.

This heartwarming film captures the beauty of community, love, and resilience, just as we come together to provide hope and safety for those in need.

By attending, you’ll enjoy a memorable cinematic experience while helping create a safer, more compassionate future for Napier's most vulnerable. Help us make a real difference—one film, one night, one act of kindness at a time.

Set in Wellington, Ruby and Rata tells the poignant and often humorous story of an unlikely friendship between a young homeless single mother and her determined elderly landlady who is trying to avoid being placed in a retirement home. The film offers a heartfelt look at inter-generational struggle, resilience and connection - themes that resonate deeply with the current housing crisis.

A dedicated group of concerned Napier residents - including city councillors, CEO’s of Māori organisations, church leaders and community advocates have been meeting regularly to work towards establishing a night shelter. They are actively seeking a suitable property and the funds needed to rent or purchase it. Proceeds from the screening will go directly to this goal.

Tragically, in the past year alone, two un-housed men have lost their lives in the city’s streets. Let’s come together to make change possible!