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Pinehaven Potters need a new kiln!

  • We bought a kiln!

      23 March 2026
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    An exciting update from Pinehaven Potters - we have officially ordered our new kiln!

    Over the last few months our members have been hustling hard - running fundraisers, attending events and connecting with our community to get us to the goal of our new kiln. We are thrilled to announce that we have placed an order with Botpots for a Potclays Kiln.

    The kiln cost us $17000 total, and the next step is to meet the costs of shipping and installation.

    To reflect this, I have lowered our goal on this page. $3000 will be enough to complete the project!

    Thanks to everyone who has donated so far, to our sponsors for funds and raffle prizes, and to our amazing Pinehaven Potters community for your hard mahi.

    Watch this space - should we start planning a kiln-warming party???

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  • Thank you! And project updates

      10 February 2026

    Kia ora, and a huge thank you to everyone who has donated so far. With your help we’ve raised $790 on Givealittle, adding to the $10,000 we’ve saved over the past few years. Your support means a lot as we work toward replacing our ageing kiln.

    We’re also thrilled to share that we’ve received a $5,000 donation from the Heretaunga Bookfest Charitable Trust. We’re so grateful for their generosity—keep an eye out for their upcoming Bookfest sale in Upper Hutt and support them if you can.

    Our current kilns are over 30 years old and have needed frequent, expensive repairs. One has now completely failed, and the other is still going but increasingly unreliable. With only one kiln left, replacing them has become essential.

    After researching many options and talking with other potters, we’ve chosen the Potclays GK63 from Botpots because it:

    is front‑opening and slightly larger than our current big kiln,

    includes a controller, probe, and new kiln furniture,

    has efficient, lightweight silicone carbide shelves,

    fits through our front door,

    and comes with reliable support in NZ.

    There’s a 3–5 month lead time, but we can secure it with a deposit while fundraising continues.

    For now, we’re running on our one remaining kiln and won’t be repairing the broken one due to the high cost for only a short-term fix.

    Thank you again for helping us get closer to a new kiln—we couldn’t do this without you. More updates soon!

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  • Happy New Year!

      5 January 2026

    Thank you to everyone who has donated so far, we appreciate your support!

    Watch this space for more updates and fundraising activities from Pinehaven Potters. If you have ideas, or want to work together on a project contact us at pinehavenpotters@gmail.com.

    <3

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