Waterbourne Is Now Officially A Charitable Trust

Waterbourne Beach Festival has been given New Zealand charitable trust status in recognition of its work promoting water safety, getting whanau active, spotlighting local talent, celebrating culture and cleaning waterways.

Waterbourne Charitable Trust is the organiser of New Zealand’s biggest beach festival, which will be held in Auckland on Takapuna Beach, between 27 February and 21 March. Waterbourne is supported by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) as part of its Summernova programme developed to wrap around the 36th America’s Cup presented by Prada.

“Being able to be part of ATEED’s Summernova programme during the time when such a major global event is taking place has been invaluable for the growth of Waterbourne. This support, along with our new charitable status is further supporting our development of an exceptional array of events and activations which encourage the community to get active and participate in water sports, fun runs, beach clean ups, local food and music and more this summer,” says Laurence Carey.

Across a jam-packed 23 days Waterbourne Charitable Trust will be working hard to provide the Auckland community with a variety of opportunities to learn, get active, and protect our beautiful beaches.

There will be a water safety course rolled out for 500 Auckland students through Waterbourne’s partnership with Water Safety NZ. Beyond this there will be events happening on both water and land that will help Kiwi families get active in a fun and supportive environment.

Activities include a fun run, paddle ninja games and paddle boarding lessons just to name a few. As for the environmental aspect Waterbourne has organised three beach cleanups in different Auckland locations. There will also be a focus on celebrating New Zealand’s diverse cultures and includes a number of different days dedicated to a range of cultures.

• 27th March: Ki Tātahi Day - Kings, Ria Hall, Neko, and more outstanding Māori artists.
• March 1st, 8th, 10th: Water Safety Course for local students
• March 7th: Fun Run and Walk
• March 6th: Beach Clean Up
• March 15th-20th: Paddle Ninja games- Public entry
• February 27-March 21: Paddle Boarding Lessons
• February 27- March 21: Food activations

Event organiser Laurence Carey says: “the Waterbourne Charitable Trust will continue to grow in upcoming years to provide more people with the opportunity to get involved with educational, cultural and physical activities.

"Getting New Zealand whanau active has always been a big part of our vision, and providing the opportunity to do this safely is a dream come true. We will not only be cleaning our waterways, but will be working hard to regenerate and educate how to work in harmony with our oceans and beaches."

Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) CEO Jonty Mills is working alongside Waterbourne during the duration of the event and says that Waterbourne’s goals align with their own.

“We feel this event fits with our goals and initiatives. The upcoming Waterbourne festival provides a unique platform to communicate water safety messages to a key target audience in Auckland.

“WSNZ will also be working closely with Squid Events to create a water safety program for local students at nearby schools. This program has the potential to grow into a nationwide program alongside the beach clean ups organised by Squid Events/Waterbourne.”

To purchase tickets to Waterbourne or to learn more about the events taking place, visit waterbourne.co.nz

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