Media Release For immediate use 16 May 2008

Four Community Groups Benefit In The Latest Round Of Meridian Community Funding

The communities of Manapouri and TeAnau have received $30,700 of support thanks to the latest round of funding from the Meridian Manapouri Te Anau Community Fund.

In its first round of funding for 2008, the Meridian Manapouri Te Anau Community Fund advisory panel chose four community-led initiatives to receive funding.

They are Fiordland Ferns Netball, Northern Southland Medical Trust, Te Anau Rodeo Club and Fiordland Museum Trust.

The Northern Southland Medical Trust received the largest contribution to help purchase a vehicle necessary for the Te Anau based midwife.

John Douglas, Trustee for the Northern Southland Medical Trust, says the service will benefit the whole community.

“We provide maternity services for Northern Southland, including Te Anau and Manapouri. The Trust has one midwife permanently based in Te Anau so this funding will provide her with a car,” he says.

“It’s a rural based position so the car will be used for all post-natal and ante-natal visits. We’re around two hours from a base hospital so it’s essential for mother and baby to have a midwife based in Te Anau who can easily get to them when needed.”

John Douglas says the Northern Southland Medical Trust greatly appreciates the support from the Meridian Community Fund.

Community representative, Jill Tauri, who sits on the Meridian Manapouri Te Anau Community Fund panel, says all the recipients are very deserving of the funding.

“All four projects will benefit the local community in some way,” she says. “The Northern Southland Medical Trust will provide a vehicle for a new midwifery service, which will make services more accessible to our local community. We live in quite an isolated area so this midwifery service is vital.

“The Te Anau Rodeo Club holds one big event in January which brings lots of people to town so the whole community benefits from this. The Fiordland Ferns Netball showed initiative by coming to us with something a little different and they weren’t just asking for a hand-out, they were actually going to raise funds on their own, too. The Fiordland Museum Trust is an important part of our local history and we need to support this Trust for future generations,” she says.

Fiordland Ferns Netball

$4,700 granted to assist with the club’s fund-raising talent show.

Northern Southland Medical Trust

$18,000 granted to purchase a vehicle necessary for a new midwife service in Te Anau.

Te Anau Rodeo Club

$4,500 granted to purchase a rodeo race system which forms part of the club’s upgrade of equipment to ensure the event runs in a safe manner.

Fiordland Museum Trust

$3,500 granted for an oral history initiative.

ENDS

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