Canterbury &

West Coast Branch

The Canterbury & West Coast branch have joined forces and operate as a single branch. The Canterbury & West Coast branch focusses on local public health issues and challenges unique to these areas and across the motu.

What We Do

The Canterbury & West Coast branch brings together likeminded public health professionals to connect, collaborate, and share knowledge and expertise.

The Canterbury & West Coast branch explores opportunities within Canterbury, West Coast and nearby areas to work with their communities in addressing specific public health challenges and promote health equity.

With the support of the PHANZ National Office, the Canterbury & West Coast branch contributes to the development of public health policies and strategies aimed at improving the health and well-being of the New Zealand population.

The Canterbury & West Coast branch generally meet on the first Tuesday of each month at Community and Public Health, 310 Manchester Street, Christchurch.

To become a member of the Canterbury & West Coast branch, you must be a PHANZ member.

To join PHANZ, check below or update your selected branch in your member profile.

Branch Committee

Co-Chair (soon to be vacant): Portia Sutherland

Portia has a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree from the University of Otago, majoring in Public Health with a minor in Politics. She is currently a Health Promoter at Te Mana Ora (working for Te Whatu Ora Waitaha and the National Public Health Service) and is focused on alcohol as a determinant of health, and how we work with communities at multiple levels to minimise its associated harms.  

Co-Chair: Christina Mckerchar 

Christina (Ngāti Kahungunu, Tuhoe, Ngāti Porou) works as a lecturer at the Department of Population Health at the University of Otago – Christchurch. She has a background in nutrition but is broadly interested in the impact of unhealthy commodity industries impact on Hauora Māori.  She has also researched food security, food sovereignty and sustainability, transport and social housing.  

Treasurer: Martin Witt 

Martin Witt works as the Health Promotion Manager for the Cancer Society of New Zealand, Canterbury and West Coast Branch. He is an experienced health promoter and has had a long involvement with the PHA.   

Members are elected to officer roles at Branch Annual General Meetings (AGMs).

If you’re interested in putting yourself forward for one of the vacant roles, please contact the Branch Chair by completing the contact form at the bottom of this page.

Key Documents

  • DOWNLOAD HERE

  • DOWNLOAD HERE

Activities and Events

  • 2022/2023 Update

    November 2023

    2022 was a back-on-our-feet ‘post covid’ year for the Canterbury and West Coast branches. A major highlight was their AGM, which was well attended and included a keynote presentation from Kristen Maynard on her research on Te Tiriti o Waitangi and alcohol law.  This was chosen due to their heavy member involvement in the kaupapa of reducing alcohol harm. 

    At the AGM long serving chair Sara Epperson and treasurer Jude Clarke handed the rakau over to Christina Mckerchar and Portia Sutherland as co-chairs for 2023, and to Martin Witt as branch treasurer.

    The Canterbury and the West Coast branches hope to resume regular activities such as this in 2024.

Contact us.

If you want to join the Canterbury & West Coast branch, become a branch officer, or you want more information on how to get involved, please contact us.

Your can also follow them on Facebook here.