Our Community Partners

In the car park at St Peter's you will see a small building that looks like a converted shipping container - because it is! From this container operates The Free Store, a community that collects and redistributes perfectly edible surplus kai (food) to those who need it. Each weekday The Free Store collects leftover food from 65 local cafes, bakeries and vendors, and distributes it free of charge to anyone who comes, no questions asked. Each evening approximately 100 people from throughout the neighbourhood gather in the carpark, in the undercroft, in the container & even in the church on wet days! Whether people are coming for food, to connect with their neighbours or to volunteer, each person plays a vital part in creating a community of belonging, generosity and transformation around this kai and over cups of tea, coffee and delicious snacks.

St Peter's has partnered with The Free Store since an approach in 2012 enquiring about using our car park. Today we have people volunteering regularly and the relationship continues to grow.

In 2019 St Peter’s partnered with Ekta NZ, a not for profit, non-political and non-religious charity incorporated in July 2017. Ekta’s objective is to contribute to building a more inclusive New Zealand by undertaking activities that establish unity in the diversity amongst the Indian diaspora through; empowering with knowledge; building capacity and confidence; and, facilitating interactions with the larger community.

In September 2020, EKTA recognized a need for an ethnic food bank in Wellington. Every Saturday from 10:30am-12pm, they offer free Indian and Middle Eastern groceries at the St Peter’s undercroft (entrance from basement door in the garden). Please bring your own grocery bag.