RANGITIKEI DISTRICT COUNCIL

Marton Community Development Project Hosting Ministerial Visit From Tariana Turia On 1 September 2010

Hon Tariana Turia, in her role as Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, has selected the Marton Community Development Project as one of the projects to visit during a day tour of the region. During her visit she will meet with Travis White, the community development officer, and the members of the community that make up the Project Team which manages the programme.

Mrs Turia will receive updates on the various projects that Travis has supported during his first year in office and on his plans for the coming year. Particularly, the opportunity will be taken to showcase the state-of-the-art computer facility, developed in the back room at Marton Library.

The Marton and Surrounds ICT Hub facilities have been developed in Marton and Ratana by a partnership of local community-based organisations. Travis has organised a highly successful series of taster sessions in the Marton Hub, pending the appointment of Puawai Hagger and Angela Coleman as Hub Managers. The Minister will meet Puawai and Angela, as well as members of their partnership, to see for herself the amazing high-tech facility that has been created at the Library.

The Minister will arrive in town at 3.10 and begin her visit with a Mihi Whakatau from tangata whenua, Ngati Apa, in the Council Chambers at Rangitikei District Council. Her visit will end at 3.55 following a whistle-stop tour of the Marton and Surrounds ICT Hub behind the Marton Library.

Notes for editors:

The Community Development Project is funded by the Department of Internal Affairs and hosted by the Rangitikei District Council. It provides for an annual grant of $80,000 renewable for up to three years. The Project Team comprises, co-Chairs Tony Dobbs (former Managing Director of PEC, now retired) and Jo Down (from Land-Based Training), John Abraham (appointed from Te Runanga o Ngati Apa), James Allan (chair of Project Marton), Allan Fenwick (local business man and former CEO of Awapuni Racecourse), Anne George (chair of Marton Community Committee and organiser of the Country Music Festival), Belinda Howard (Marton Town Co-ordinator), Vijeshwar Prasad (organiser of the Festival of Cultures) and Denise Servante (Senior Policy Analyst at Rangitikei District Council).

The Marton and Surrounds ICT Hub has been awarded funding of $177,000 from the Department of Internal Affairs through the Community Partnership Fund. Further grants have been received from the Whanganui Community Foundation, the JBS Dudding Trust and the Powerco Trust. The project was developed through a partnership between Project Marton, Rangitikei College, Rangitikei District Council and Te Runanga o Ngati Apa and is now managed by an independent Trust with Trustees James Allan, Geoffrey Hipango, Vijeshwar Prasad and Travis White.

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