Every day, thousands of Aucklanders drive along the Southern Motorway past the cluster of old and new prison buildings on Mt Eden’s lower slopes.

At the heart of Uptown sits a cluster of historic buildings that have been focal points in the neighbourhood’s rich past.

The aim of Friends of St David’s Trust, newly named Kāhui Rangi Pūpū, is not only to retain its original purpose as a living memorial and place for New Zealand soldiers, but to open its doors to the community and become a much-needed acoustic music centre.