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About CINCH

CINCH, Community INformation CHristchurch contains information for around 6,000 organisations, courses and individuals.

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Key features

CINCH is an online community directory containing information for around 6,000 community organisations, clubs and continuing education providers in Christchurch. It also includes some organisations in the Waimakariri, Hurunui and Selwyn districts.

Use search and browse options to find community information in different ways:

  • Search to find organisations by name, keyword, or subject
  • Use the A-Z subject list to find what you are looking for using subject headings
  • Browse to find organisations under the 12 main category headings
    • Arts, Crafts and Hobbies
    • Citizen and Consumer
    • Community Groups
    • Community Studies
    • Cultural Groups (the arts, music, entertaiment etc)
    • Educational Groups
    • Health and Welfare
    • Home and Family
    • Languages
    • Occupational Training
    • Personal Development
    • Sports and Recreation

You can also find continuing education providers and follow website links to get their latest course information, add or update your organisations details and follow links to gain access to other websites of community interest — e.g. Red Cross Grants.

More information

Created by Christchurch City Libraries in 1981, CINCH has grown to include more than 6,000 listings, mainly in the area between the Ashley and Rakaia Rivers and inland to Springfield. Ski fields, camp sites and golf courses outside this area are also listed. To keep information as up to date as possible, Christchurch City Libraries contacts every organisation listed annually. Not all organisations respond, so each listing contains the date of the last successful contact with an organisation.

CINCH includes:

  • Community run organisations within the greater Christchurch area
  • Professional or occupational organisations
  • National organisations with a local presence and high local importance
  • Organisations offering a community service such as a course, workshop or hall for hire
  • Links to organisations that are part of the local infrastructure such as eco depots, parks, educational establishments, utility companies and sports and recreation providers.

Christchurch City Libraries reserves the right to include or exclude any listing.