Community Day – Dunes
In the Community
Oct 28 2019
John Mackay’s Property/Commercial team took their community day out of the office weeding the dunes!
Dunes are important for acting as a barrier between the ocean and inland areas. Weeds don’t do the job as well as natives so no one wants them there.
Good Neighbour provided the team’s lunch using food that would have otherwise been thrown out, and apparently it was delicious. Two community initiatives in one day – great work team!
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Hobec Payroll Giving – Wrap-up 2025
For several years, the Holland Beckett Community Committee has championed acts of service and financial support to give local charities and community groups a hand up. One way we do this is through our Payroll Giving initiative - an easy, stress-free opportunity for our people to give back to the community.
How it works
Our people can opt in to take part in the payroll giving scheme, contributing a small amount from their regular pay. Holland Beckett\'s Partners generously match these contributions dollar for dollar. Each quarter, the accumulated funds are donated to a chosen cause, determined by nominations and voting by our team. To share the love across the Bay of Plenty, nominations may be limited to Tauranga, Rotorua, or Whakatāne-based organisations in different quarters.
The charity with the most votes receives the payroll giving donation - currently just over $2800 each quarter.
2025 Payroll Giving Recipients
We are proud to share a little about the wonderful charities and community groups that received our 2025 quarterly donations:
Q1 - RRR | Rescue Revive Rehome
RRR is a not-for-profit animal rescue organisation dedicated to providing a safe haven for homeless and rescued animals until a responsible, loving home is found. RRR relies on fosters, volunteers, donations and fundraisers to provide a safe home for the many animals that come though their doors. Some RRR dogs have been rehomed with Hobecians, and one of our team regularly fosters dogs needing a safe, comfortable space to recover from surgery or trauma before adoption.
RRR - Rescue. Revive. Rehome.
Q2 - Te Wāhi Whakaora | Rotorua and District Women\'s Refuge
Te Wāhi Whakaora assists women, children, and whānau experiencing family violence in Rotorua and surrounding areas through support, advocacy, education and awareness. Holland Beckett\'s Lucy Vala-Blackmore is on the board of Te Wāhi Whakaora. As a Rotorua local and Family Lawyer, she is proud to give back to the wāhine in her community.
Te Wāhi Whakaora Rotorua and District Women’s Refuge
Q3 - Whakatāne Kiwi Trust
Whakatāne Kiwi Trust works to protect our precious kiwi and other native species in the Whakatāne region - the \'Kiwi Capital of the World™\'. The Trust manages pest control programmes, and volunteers are actively involved in predator trapping, kiwi monitoring, education, public events and fundraising. Holland Beckett is also proud to sponsor the Kiwi Trust and to support solicitor Jayden McNeil in his role as a trustee.
Whakatāne Kiwi Trust
Q4 - MAMA | Massage after Miscarriage Aotearoa
MAMA provide a simple gesture of comfort, care and compassion - restorative massage or facials - for women following a miscarriage or stillbirth. Losing a baby at any stage in pregnancy is heartbreaking and recovery is both a physical and emotional journey. Through generous contributions of services, products, and monetary support (including our payroll giving donations) MAMA provides healing experiences to support grieving mothers in need of solace after loss.
Massage After Miscarriage Tauranga
We’re proud of our team for embracing our payroll giving initiative and supporting a wide range of organisations that make a real difference in our communities. Their contributions help these groups extend their reach and provide vital support to those who need it most.
We also set aside a small portion of the payroll giving funds for community days, where our teams roll up their sleeves and support causes close to their hearts with hard mahi! It might mean buying paint and brushes to refresh a tired playcentre, or native plants to replant waterways and dunes. And at Christmas, any remaining funds in the payroll giving piggy bank are donated to another charity, such as the Tauranga Community Foodbank.
A tradition of giving – over $32,000 donated to Tauranga Community Foodbank
Holland Beckett has a long history of supporting the Bay of Plenty communities that have supported us, and one of our longstanding traditions has been donating our TECT rebates to the Tauranga Community Foodbank.
This tradition began in 2009 during the global financial crisis, when many families were struggling and the Foodbank needed extra resources to help those in need - especially in the lead-up to Christmas. That year, we donated our rebate of just over $1,000 to assist during the holiday season.
What started as a one-off gesture has continued for 16 years. To date, Hobec has donated more than $32,800 in TECT rebates to the Tauranga Community Foodbank.
One of Holland Beckett\'s core values is:
Champions of our Communities
We bring positive impact to those around us. We are supportive inclusive and generous.
Our TECT rebate initiative is one way we live this value. Over time, it has become a meaningful contribution that helps ease hardship and shows how small acts of generosity can make a big impact.
Hobec’s Next Chapter
Holland Beckett is delighted to start its next chapter as the anchor tenant in the new Northern Quarter development and to play an active role in the revitalisation of Tauranga CBD.
Holland Beckett is the largest law firm in Tauranga. The firm, known originally as WS Holland, was established in 1937 by William Sydney Holland. In 1949 Holland was joined by Barney Beckett – the duo providing the well-known name of the firm. Over the 88 years since its establishment there have been several moves and changes as the firm grew from strength to strength. In 2008 expansion necessitated the move to ‘The Hub’ on Cameron Road and from there Holland Beckett – or Hobec – continued to be a legal leader in the region, their Tauranga office continuing to grow in size and capability, along with offices in Rotorua and Whakatāne.
When Hobec moved their Tauranga office to the open plan space at The Hub 17 years ago, it was a bold move. Traditionally lawyers all had their own office, but the partners credit the growth of the firm to the flexible and collaborative environment. As a full service firm, specialist teams work together to share expertise and the open plan environment facilitates that collaboration, as well as enhancing supervision and delegation which are key to developing good lawyers. With expert senior specialists supported by highly skilled junior lawyers and support staff, the firm has the capability and capacity to provide exceptional service and value to clients over the full spectrum of legal services – from a simple Will to a complex legal matter.
Growth has now triggered the next move and the start of a new chapter for Holland Beckett, one that brings them into the landmark development that is Northern Quarter. Taking approximately 2000 square meters of space over the top floor and half of the second floor, the larger footprint has been thoughtfully designed, with the legal team located on the same floor, more breakout spaces and collaborative rooms with the most up to date AV technology.
Practice Manager Sharline Fitzgerald said “We are focused on providing an office that meets the needs and expectations of both clients and staff. With flexible work options now the norm we see benefits in making the office a destination that our people want to come to. As the city grows we are seeing a greater emphasis on public transport, cycleways and even a ferry service. These services tend to terminate at the CBD so we are looking forward to being able to increase our participation.”
With over 130 people in the Tauranga office, including almost 70 lawyers (compared to 14 when the firm moved into The Hub in 2008), Hobec decided to make this move to support the city that has supported them. The firm is well known for its contributions to the community, with a long history of committing time, energy and resources to a variety of organisations including sporting and cultural teams, community groups and charity initiatives, local events and the business community. Hobec wanted to have a physical presence in the heart of the city and to be part of the major redevelopment currently underway. Bringing their large team to the heart of the city is good for Holland Beckett – and it is great for the business, retail and hospitality sectors.
This article was first published in Bay of Plenty Business News, October 2025.