DWC sponsors West Coast Amateur Sports Trust

Media release – 2 September 2013

DWC sponsors West Coast Amateur Sports Trust

Development West Coast is pleased to announce it is the new sponsor of the West Coast Amateur Sports Trust.  Formally known as the Solid Energy Amateur Sports Trust, it will now be called the Development West Coast Amateur Sports Trust.

DWC CEO John Chang says with the exit of Solid Energy as a sponsor the Trust was struggling to find a funder and DWC was happy to support the organisation.

“Given DWC was already supporting the Trust through our community funding we were pleased to step in to ensure it can continue its excellent work.  Organisations like this are needed for the well-being of a healthy community and we are proud to be involved in ensuring young West Coast sports people have the same opportunities as their counterparts in larger centres,” says Dr Chang.

DWC already funds the Sports Trust $10,000 annually for the Sports Trust to distribute to recipients.  This new agreement sees DWC providing a separate $5,000 sponsorship and gaining naming rights to the organisation in return.

DWC Amateur Sports Trust Chair Chips Robinson says the Trust is thrilled DWC has stepped in to help them.

“It’s pretty hard out there to get sponsorship so we are really pleased DWC has helped us out.  This will benefit promising athletes from Karamea to Haast,” he says.

The DWC Amateur Sports Trust helps young West Coast athletes achieve in their chosen sport.

“We look at their aspirations and what they can achieve.  We have some really good youngsters out there and they put the West Coast on the map and make us proud,” says Mr Robinson.

The Trust has helped athletes like Greymouth bowler Ethan Kelleher who has used the funding to attend training camps and then gone on to be selected for the New Zealand U18 side which beat Australia in a test series.  Hokitika javelin thrower Holly Robinson was helped to travel to London to represent New Zealand in the Paralympic games and in July she won a silver medal in the F46 class Javelin at the International Paralympic Athletics World Championships in France with a personal best throw of 34.37 metres.  Young Hokitika swimmer George Schroder is another Coast athlete the Trust has helped and who is showing excellent promise.

ENDS

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