PRESS RELEASE

An innovative approach to sports fundraising has won three North Shore clubs a $175,000 grant.

The three, Glenfield Rovers Soccer Club, Marlborough Park Tennis Club and the North Shore Rockhounds Club, put together a joint application to community funder ASB Community Trust.

They want to upgrade clubrooms and resurface the tennis courts at Glenfield’s Marlborough Park and convert the rockhounds’ existing clubrooms at McFetridge Park into changing rooms for community users of the fields.

ASB Community Trust CEO Jenifer Gill says the Trust supports projects which encourage participation in sport and recreation.

“This project has seen several clubs working together to improve facilities that are used by the wider community and the improved facilities will encourage more participation,” she says.

The resurfaced tennis courts will also be used by the soccer club for children’s training sessions, while the clubrooms will be used by the rockhounds, the tennis club and a variety of other community groups.

The innovative, co-operative approach has also won praise from other sporting groups, with regional soccer body United Soccer 1 CEO Keith Johnston saying the partnership “provides and example of how resources can be better utilised through various codes forming strategic alliances”.

Harbour Sport Development Advisor Riki Burgess agrees, saying it demonstrates the benefit that can be gained from “various sporting codes combining their resources for a common good”.

Another North Shore sporting code has also gained a grant from ASB Community Trust, with the Harbour Hockey Charitable Trust this month being awarded $148,000 toward an upgrade of one of its artificial turfs at Crown Relocations Stadium, in Albany.

"Crown Relocations Stadium is the main centre for hockey in the North Harbour region,” says Ms Gill, “and the improved facilities will ensure Harbour Hockey can continue to promote increased participation in sport.”

North Harbour Volleyball also gained an ASBCT grant, with $4729 going toward the cost of hiring facilities for primary and secondary school aged players.

ASB Community Trust decides on grants for projects in education, the arts, sport, recreation, environment, heritage, health and social services areas each month.

Founded on the sale of its shares in the ASB Bank, the Trust has granted more than $600m since being formed in 1988. Any incorporated or charitable trust can apply for funds, provided they are a not-for-profit organisation.

For more details about applying, visit the Trust’s website: www.ASBCommunityTrust.org.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media