Marram - A legacy of care

About Marram

Marram is a unique organisation. One of those rare organisations founded on the principles of caring for the well-being of our community, and giving a 'helping hand' when and where needed. You are about to find out about a simply astounding not-for-profit organisation!

Marram Information Brochure - click to download a copy of this pdf file

The Marram Story

What we stand for

Mission statement

What's so amazing about Marram?

Who can belong to Marram?

Marram Governance and our Board of Trustees

Our Volunteers

Our Team

Contact Us

Marram Feedback

Marram Community Trust (formerly known as the Post Office Welfare Trust or Sevenaway Trustaide Ltd) was established as a charitable trust in 1945. Its purpose was to help employees of the Post Office and their families as they re-established themselves following the Second World War. The Trust provided holiday homes for convalescence following illness and for family holidays at a reasonable cost. The Trust also provided budgeting advice and assistance (by way of working bees) following a death in the family.

The first homes were converted army huts at Musick Point, (located between Auckland and Howick) and were not much more than 'tents' with canvas roofs and the lower walls and floor made of timber. A separate tent contained washing facilities. The homes were originally funded using money the Government set aside from Government War Bonds, but this funding was later replaced by voluntary contributions from employees of the Post Office. By 1953, the Post Office Welfare Trust owned 42 homes from the Bay of Islands in the North, to Riverton Rocks in the South. In the spirit of the time, all the homes had very basic amenities: e.g. in the original Picton home, hot water was obtained by lighting a fire under the washhouse copper and at Mt Maunganui the tenants carried in coal for heating their water, as well as the home itself. At the time, tenants thought the holiday facilites were ideal as they enabled families to take an inexpensive holiday in another town or at the beach - which was luxury indeed!

In the 1960's, a healthcare assistance programme was established alongside the holiday homes programme, to help working families with their healthcare expenses. Subsequent to the start of this new benefit, the holiday home programme was also extended to allow former employees (Lifetimers) access to the holiday homes.

In 1987, with the split of the Post Office into New Zealand Post, Telecom and the Post Office Savings Bank (becoming ANZ in 1992), the Trust expanded to include these three companies and their subsidiaries. All of our affiliated organisations can trace their roots back to the Post Office, with the exception of a few associated to us through our charitable endeavours.

The focus of the Trust remains the same today as it was originally - to contribute to the wellbeing of our contributors, their families and the wider New Zealand Community in a compassionate and meaningful way.

Marram is an organisation founded on the principles of caring for the well-being of our community by giving a 'helping hand' when and where needed. We aim to make a difference in the lives of all those in our community – our contributors and their families, together with the organisations our contributors work for and our Lifetimers.

Contribute to the wellbeing of as many staff and their families of our affiliated organisations and Lifetime as humanly possible. To serve our community with passion, excellence, integrity and respect. We aim to maintain financial stability and relevance for future generations.

Marram contributes to the health and recreation of employees of our affiliated organisations by:

• assisting with the reimbursement of healthcare expenses for our contributors, their partners and dependent children;
• providing affordable holiday accommodation throughout New Zealand for contributors, their partners and dependent children as well as our Lifetimers.

Marram continues to provide the kind of holidays many of you may recall during your childhood - with access to our wonderful outdoors; all activities that encourage good health and well-being.

At Marram we strive to continually improve - both ourselves individually, and the organisation as a whole. Our goal as an organisation is to contribute to our community and provide outstanding customer service.

To be part of the Marram community, people must either:

• be currently employed by
• or previously employed by either:

1. New Zealand Post Ltd or
2. ANZ National Bank Limited or
3. Telecom New Zealand Ltd or
4. Their subsidiary and successor organisations.

Contributors in the Marram community have access to:

• a healthcare assistance programme and
• a holiday home network in many locations nationwide (Lifetimers)

Partners/spouses and dependent children are also eligible to access the healthcare assistance programme.

For more details on affiliated organisation eligibility please email enquiries.

Please note special conditions apply. For example currently - Lifetimers are eligible for the holiday home network only. For a pdf file of Lifetimer eligibility criteria please email enquiries.

Find out which Affiliated Organisations belong.

Find out about our Sales and Marketing Manager

Find the latest edition of our newsletter - Outlook

Without our unique Marram Volunteers we would be unable to provide holiday homes at such low cost. Our Volunteers are a critical part of our service delivery.

Globally, volunteers help make our communities, country, and the world a better place in so many ways. Look around New Zealand and you will see volunteers everywhere – committed people freely giving their time to help others.

Our often unseen Marram Volunteers look after our homes. They take care of much of the ‘behind the scenes’ work. Maintenance, upkeep of homes and health and safety - you name it and they do it! Their aim is to make sure that when you, your family and friends arrive everything is ‘ship shape’.

You will see a Volunteer notice displayed in all our holiday homes for emergency use. We ask that you respect that these Volunteers give up their time to help make sure your stay is a welcoming and pleasant time.

Their objective is to maintain quality accommodation in pleasant surroundings.

The way a team works together, as a whole, has a huge impact on its success. At Marram we are very lucky as we have an amazing team.

Meet the team:-

• Glenn Clark, CEO
• Roshni Kishore, Finance Manager
• Tim Dutton, IT Manager
• Debbie Shute, Product Manager
• Paula Mackay, Customer Service Manager
• Carmen O'Shaughnessy, Sales & Marketing Manager
• Damian George, Property Manager
• Fiona Van Eyssen, Property Assistant
• Andy Hunter, Product Executive
• Laura Barron, Accounts Administrator
• Mike Downes, Accounts Administrator 
• Murray Crombie, Customer Service Team Administrator
• Lorene Taiaroa, Customer Service Team Administrator
• Lesley Krosschell, Customer Service Team Administrator
• Steve Andrews, Customer Service Team Administrator
• Kim Goodin, Customer Service Team Administrator
• Bernadette White, Team Administration Assistant
• Larisa Fedulova, Team Administration Assistant

Marram Feedback

I’ve been a Marram contributor since I joined the Post Office, many years ago.  Over that time we’ve had holidays in some fantastic locations, up and down the country, including booking the Russell cottage for our honeymoon, and have returned to a few places we’ve really liked.  The holiday homes were particularly good when our children were small, we knew the houses would be child friendly, contain everything we needed, and be in good condition when we arrived.  Now we’re enjoying the short stay options as well, we’ve booked a cottage for two nights in Nelson for a sports event in November and I’m keen to try out the new house in Ohakune where its fun to go with a bigger group of people. When we compare the cost of a week or a few nights in a Marram cottage with a comparable motel, its always a good deal.  
 
Marram have always been great to deal with for the holiday cottages, just as they are with claiming for medical expenses.   I’ve appreciated being able to get a bit back for things like teenage braces and molemaps that regular medical cover doesn’t usually include.   The claim process is straightforward and payments are always prompt and efficient. 
 
I expect to keep on using Marram for a long while yet -  I’m looking forward to being able to book the cottages outside of school holidays and get to those places I’ve not been to yet.
Jane Harding - Telecom NZ

December 2010

I'm glad I joined Marram Trust many years ago.  Contributions are very low and we receive a great service.  Health claims are processed promptly, and the online service for checking these claims is helpful.  The holiday cottages are very comfortable and are in handy locations.  They are as nice as a motel, for only a fraction of the price, and with only a few units in each location, the cottages are much quieter than most motels.  Over the years, the process has been streamlined, and it's very easy now to make a booking online without even needing to use a credit card.

Susanne Williams – New Zealand Transport Agency

If I was approached on the street and was offered what Marram offer I would wonder where the catch was, e.g. you pay your weekly levy and then by taking a holiday home for a week (hell of a job but someone has to do it) you recoup all this cost in one fell swoop (if you take into account what similar accommodation would have cost you for a week). Get to stay in top locations in motel-like splendour and then to put the icing on the cake you get to claim a goodly chunk of your, your partner's/wife's and maybe children's medical expenses back several times a year. It sounds too good to be true but fortunately for those of us who do belong we are the winners. I would urge anyone who has the opportunity to join to do so ASAP because the benefits far outweigh any small perceived weekly financial loss.

thanks Grant Gutchlag,  Team Leader, St Asaph Delivery, Christchurch

21 December 2010

Earlier this year my husband had to go to Rotorua for a hip operation and I needed to have accommodation so I rang Marram at short notice to see if I could get a holiday home and what awesome service I got from them. Not only were they able to supply me one but because I did not know how long my husband would be in hospital they told me I could ring again on the Thursday if I needed to stay over the weekend, which I did.
I have also used homes in Queenstown and had a great holiday down south.
Thanks for the great places you provide. I also always get prompt service for my claims when claiming for Healthcare and if unsure I ring and get helpful advice. I encourage new members to our team here to join because of the claims that can be made. I wouldn’t be without Marram.

Janet Clark

2 November 2010

We had an absolutely amazing long weekend at Raumati Beach, Paraparaumu, The unit was amazing. Nice and clean, tidy and very very comfortable.
We would recommend the Marram holiday homes to anyone and everyone. This was our 1st experience with Marram since I have been a contributor, and it definitely won't be my last.

Well Done Marram Team,

Many Thanks,
Andrea Toi and Family.

29 October 2010
I have just returned from Mount Maunganui Number two unit and my friends, who were playing bowls all week with me, were very impressed with the unit. Please also pass on to Sandy Hulme my thanks for replacing the fridge which packed up. Her efficiency and politeness are a great Marram trust advocate. She was always a phone call away and nothing was ever too much trouble. Our fridge was beeping when shut and was all iced up. Marram you are so great. After my 40 years of service with the Bank, ANZ at present, I have never had any problems and everyone deserves a medal.
Viv