Skycity Awards $3m To Community In Funding Round

Over Three Million Dollars Awarded To Community In Skycity Auckland Community Trust Largest Funding Round

The SKYCITY Auckland Community Trust will distribute its largest funding total to date, with over three million dollars granted to the greater Auckland community, in its ninth annual funding round.

SKYCITY Auckland Community Trust Chairman, Jock Irvine, said that by the March 2004 close off date, the Trust had received over 400 applications from a wide variety of community organisations.

“We are delighted to confirm 113 successful applications this year. The amount of the grants ranged from just over $300 for the Royal New Zealand Plunket Society to subsidise attendance at a first aid course, through to $200,000 for Special Olympics New Zealand, to support life skills and leadership programmes.

“The SKYCITY Auckland Community Trust is a positive way for SKYCITY Auckland to give back to the community and to date the Trust has distributed over $15 million in grants to more than 600 Community Groups, large and small,” said Mr Irvine.

The SKYCITY Auckland Community Trust was established in 1996, as part of the SKYCITY Ltd casino licence application process, to provide funds for community and charitable purposes.

The independent Trust aims to help local and regional organisations carry out community assistance and development work, focusing on projects related to health and education, tourism and entertainment and arts and culture.

In the first quarter of every year, the Trust invites applications for grants from a wide range of community and charitable organisations. Funds available for distribution are 2.5% of the net annual profit from SKYCITY Entertainment Group Ltd or a minimum of $500,000 per annum.

For a complete list of recipients in this latest funding round, the criteria for applications or for an application form, please visit www.skycity.co.nz or fax SKYCITY on 09 363 6323.

Successful recipients of the 2004 SKYCITY Auckland Community Trust include:

Auckland Festival Trust – funding of $30,000 granted to provide subsidised tickets for Auckland secondary school students to attend the 2005 Auckland Festival (AK05) Books for Babies Trust – funding of $6,000 to provide disadvantaged families with books for children aged up to two years. Child Cancer Foundation Inc. (Northern Division) – funding of $15,486 to fund introductory kits for families of all children diagnosed with cancer in the next 12 months. Counties Manukau Pacific Trust – funding of $125,000 to fund the public address system at the TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre in Manukau Heritage Trams for Henderson Society Inc. – funding of $3,970 to assist with the restoration of their two trams. Moving Image Centre Charitable Trust – funding of $155,000 for the development of a theatre auditorium in the Britomart Precinct. Pacific Culture and Arts Exchange Centre – funding of $2,000 to assist with the promotion of the 3rd annual ‘NZ Chinese Arts Exhibition’ Waipu Surf Lifesaving Club – funding of $6,000 to purchase new paddleboards for youth training. West Auckland Health Services Foundation – funding of $67,850 for the purchase of a retinal-screening camera and to establish a mobile retinal service. YWCA – funding of $30,000 for the ‘Future Leaders’ mentoring programme for young women.

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