New trustees hit the ground running approving 21 grants

Newly elected trustees Jim Boult and Trudi Webb hit the ground running, at the first Central Lakes Trust (CLT) board meeting of the calendar year. The board approved 21 grants totalling over $450K bringing the grants approved for the financial year end 31 March 2023 to $8.40 million.

Grants were wide ranging, from football equipment for Wanaka Football Club, funds towards Camp Quality’s Summer Camp, an emergency kit for the Lake Wanaka Centre, bowls for the Roxburgh Bowls Club, to building upgrades for Queenstown Preschool and Nursery and a bike park at Hawea Flat School, showing the breadth of applications to the Trust.

Ten charitable groups received funding towards operational or programme costs associated with their organisation’s service delivery. Central Lakes Trust is one of the few charitable funders that support operational costs for groups.

Grants Manager, Mat Begg says, “We are one of the few funders to provide funding to social services so they may operate at the required level to support our community, and we have a long history of doing so.”

A grant was approved for funding towards the restoration of Arrowtown’s Heritage NZ category one property, St Paul’s Church to assist in preserving what is the oldest church in Arrowtown, built in 1871.

Parish of Wakatipu project coordinator, Vivienne Kerr says, “We are extremely grateful to the Central Lakes Trust for this major contribution to our project to restore and preserve this much loved and photographed wooden historic church and adjoining cottage which sits at the entrance to the town precinct.”

BB New Zealand (The Boys Brigade in New Zealand/ICONZ) received funding towards a replacement vehicle. BB's Edge Workshop program delivered to six schools in the Dunstan area is also supported by CLT. The vehicle used to tow the trailer, from which the program is delivered, is 23 years old and has travelled some 280,000 kms.

The Boys Brigade in New Zealand received funding towards a replacement vehicle. BB's Edge Workshop program delivered to six schools in the Dunstan area is also supported by CLT.

BB South Island Development Manager, Warwick Tomlinson said “BB has been running an Edge Workshop program with local primary school kids and CLT has helped in a huge way with operational funding to keep us going with day-to-day operations.”

“We have been blessed by their willingness when approaching CLT for certain projects which needed funding. For example, we have approached CLT with funding applications for a trailer to run our program and also, recently, a Ute as the vehicle I was driving was tired and old.”

“Mat and the team are easy to talk to and very understanding of our needs. We have been advised on how to apply and encouraged through the whole process each time. We have had very strong support from CLT and they strive to make each application easier than the previous one. As a non-profit charity, we couldn’t survive without the help and funding we receive from CLT and the wider community, we are grateful for their input".

Main image (Supplied): A grant was approved for funding towards the restoration of Arrowtown’s Heritage NZ category one property, St Paul’s Church to assist in preserving what is the oldest church in Arrowtown, built in 1871.