Xmas Comes Early For Local Community Organisations

30 November 2006

Xmas Comes Early For Local Community Organisations

A new defibrillator for the Search & Rescue air ambulance, entertainment at the Waikato Winter Show, and a boost towards Parentline’s programmes providing education and counselling to children are just some of the funding highlights recently announced by SKYCITY Hamilton Community Trust.

Christmas comes early this year for 120 community and charitable groups who will receive over $490,000 in the largest ever funding round of the Trust, bringing the total amount of funds distributed by the Trust to over $1.6 million.

Successful recipients come from various sectors including arts, culture and entertainment; community; education; health, welfare and medical; rescue and emergency; family, group and individual support; and tourism.

The Aotearoa Maori Tennis Association will receive $15,000 to assist with hosting the 80th Maori Tennis Championships at Waikato Tennis Centre. Habitat for Humanity will use their grant of $15,000 to build a house for families in need at the Parachute Music Festival. The Hamilton Operatic Society’s grant of $7,500 will be put towards staging two new shows in 2007. And Parentline Charitable Trust will receive a $20,000 boost towards costs of their programmes providing education, counselling and therapy sessions to children.

Margaret Evans, Chairperson SKYCITY Hamilton Community Trust says that she is delighted at the wide range of organisations that will benefit.

“The grants range in amount from $25,000 for the Pohlen Foundation Trust to purchase a new endoscope - providing lifesaving preventative screening - to $488 for the Healing and Rape Crisis Centre for a new vacuum cleaner,” says Margaret.

“We believe that all of the recipients will use their funding to making a positive difference to the Waikato region, and we’re delighted to be able to offer that support.”

The majority of the grants have been awarded to organisations in the Hamilton region, with a proportion of grants being allocated to the greater Waikato and surrounding regions.

The SKYCITY Hamilton Community Trust was established in 2003, as part of the SKYCITY Hamilton licence application process, to provide funds for community and charitable purposes. Over the last three years the Trust has distributed over $1.6 million through 394 grants.

Each year in September the Trust invites applications for grants from a wide range of community and charitable organisations.

For more information about the SKYCITY Hamilton Community Trust, please visit www.skycityhamilton.co.nz.

ENDS

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