MEDIA RELEASE
13 May 2009

More Projects Receive Grants From Mazda Foundation

The Mazda Foundation’s first round of funding for 2009 has seen more than $84,000.00 go to 13 groups and individuals for a range of environmental, educational, cultural and community projects.

The Royal New Zealand Plunket Society was one of the groups to benefit. It received $5000.00 for its car seat rental programme so that more than 200 New Zealand children are safely restrained in car seats.

Most of the 27,000 child restraints which Plunket hires are required by law to be “tethered” to an anchor point in a vehicle. The grant will fund the installation of anchor points in the vehicles of Plunket clients who are unable to meet the costs.

Gizelle Feldman said while newer model vehicles usually have one or more tether anchor points, most older or imported vehicles don’t and the cost of installation can be significant for low income families.

“Feedback from our car seat rental scheme coordinators was that many of these clients were not correctly installing their restraints with the anchor points, leaving the children vulnerable to injury if in an accident,” said Feldman.

Andrew Clearwater, Mazda Foundation chairman, said “We are pleased that we’re in a position where we can help groups that may be struggling and distributed almost $20,000.00 more than in our last funding round.”

Among the other successful applications was funding for a youth programme run by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, tuition scholarships for the Performing Arts Competition Association of New Zealand and a short film on animal rights issues.

In the ten rounds of funding since the Mazda Foundation was launched four years ago over $750,000.00 has been distributed to more than 160 individuals and organisations throughout New Zealand.

There are three closing dates each year for submissions to the Mazda Foundation. The next closing date is 30 June 2009. For more information or to download an application form visit www.mazdafoundation.org.nz

About the Mazda Foundation: www.mazdafoundation.org.nz

The Mazda Foundation is a charitable trust that provides assistance to a broad cross – section of charitable entities and causes throughout New Zealand.

Submissions are received from the public and three rounds of funding are carried out each year to assist individuals and organisations with environmental, educational, skills development, cultural and community projects.

The Mazda Foundation Trust is funded through sales of new Mazda vehicles, support from Mazda dealers throughout the country as well as dedicated fundraising activity by Mazda New Zealand.

ENDS

Grants awarded for application period ended 31 March 2009

Recipient / Amount $ / Contact / City / Purpose

Angela Prosser / $2,500.00 / Angela Prosser / Oamaru / To fund part of Helena Prosser's physical education programme in Seattle, Washington. Helena is unable to move indepedently as she has profound, diffuse, bilateral midbrain injury

Ashhurst Kindergarten / $2,269.08 / Katie Bryant / Manawatu / To purchase science equipment and resources such as a globe and microscope for the science area

Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra / $14,225.00 / Noma Sio / Auckland / Remix the Orchestra - a week-long programme for at risk youth which brings together hip hop and classical/orchestral music genres

Bedlam Productions / $5,600.00 / Michael Donovan / Auckland / To produce a seven minute film that portrays and condemns the practices of bear bile farming, vivisection, bull-fighting and whaling using enacted and documentary footage

Bell Block Pohutukawa Kindergarten / $8,065.26 / Josie Tippins / New Plymouth / To purchase a garden shed to store plants in the new plant nursery area

Hauraki Rail Trail Trust / $4,500.00 / Julie Stephenson / Ngatea / To purchase and plant native trees to provide a screen between the Rail Trail and neigbouring residential homes

Life Education Trust South East Auckland / $4,500.00 / Annette Arthur / Manukau / To purchase a new Harold the Giraffe suit for promotional purposes

Performing Arts Competition Association of New Zealand / $24,000.00 / Sue Patterson / Queenstown / To provide 12 tuition scholarships for the 2009 Mazda foundation National Young Performer of the Year Awards

Roslyn bush Playcentre / $400.00 / Mandy Johnston / Invercargill / To purchase a printer/scanner/photocopier for the playcentre

Royal New Zealand Plunket Society Inc / $5,000.00 / Gizelle Feldman / Wellington / To pay for the installation of up to 200 child restraint tether anchor points in vehicles of Plunket Car Seat Rental Scheme for clients who are unable to meet the cost

Spark Studio/Panacea Arts Charitable Trust / $1,844.00 / Josie Maskell / Auckland / To purchase a data projector and screen

Steps Tap Dancing Club / $1,473.36 / Molly Chapman / Christchurch / To purchase uniforms for dancers attending World Dance Championshiops in Long Beach, California in July

Taumarunui High School / $1,000.00 / Jessica Morgan / Taumarunui / To fund a trip to Gisborne for 30 students to participate in the 48 Hour Film Festival

The Operating Theatre Trust / $9,120.00 / Tim Bray / Auckland / To allow low decile schools with students who have disabilities to attend the company's theatre productions for children at no cost

TOTAL / $84,496.70

© Scoop Media