A Wairarapa Mayoral Relief Fund is being set up by the three Wairarapa mayors in response to the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa District Councils are currently planning how best to administer the support, and will make decisions around managing funding contributions over coming days.

Criteria and distribution processes for the fund will be established by councils in partnership with agencies such as the East Coast Rural Support Trust, with funding open to applications from anyone across Wairarapa impacted by Gabrielle.

The East Coast Rural Support Trust is a charitable trust operating in the East Coast Region. The Trust is part of a nationwide network of Rural Support Trusts.

Masterton Mayor Gary Caffell said he was impressed with how resilient impacted communities had been. “Community really is the backbone of Wairarapa. To see people pull together to help each other out, and be so generous with their time and resources was really heartening. I hope this fund can bolster the help already provided so generously by so many and make a real impact on those who need it most.”

Carterton Mayor Ron Mark said: “The establishment of a Wairarapa Mayoral Relief Fund for the purpose of providing Humanitarian Aid and Relief is something I support.

"Having a financial mechanism through which our councils, private citizens and potentially government who wish to donate to supporting our people who have been devastated by this cyclone across the Wairarapa is very important.

"That the determination as to where the priorities are, and who will receive funding, will be made by the three Mayors based on the cyclone's impact and the needs of our local communities, should give everyone confidence that the funds that they donate will be used fairly, wisely and impartially.”

South Wairarapa Mayor Martin Connelly said that “when our neighbours are in need, we look for ways to help out. Donating money is one of the best ways to help, as long as the people giving financial donations can be certain that everything they donate will be used to help people in need. Donating to a Mayoral Relief Fund guarantees that 100% of your donation goes where you intend it to go.”

Eligibility criteria and the application process will be posted on Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa District Council websites when finalised.

Donations to the fund can be made to 03-0687-0271682-03, using the donation reference ‘WAISTORM’.

© Scoop Media