Local Groups Receive Over $450,000

30 November 2004

Local Groups Receive Over $450,000 In Skycity Hamilton Community Trust’s Second Funding Round

Over $450,000 will be distributed this month to the Waikato community through the SKYCITY Hamilton Community Trust’s second funding round.

The Trust received 269 applications for funding from community organisations providing a variety of services, ranging from rescue and emergency services and disability groups to the arts and education.

Margaret Evans, Chairperson SKYCITY Hamilton Community Trust, says “the Trust is delighted to confirm 91 community and charitable organisations will receive grants this year.”

“Waikato events, which attract locals and visitors to the region, will get a well deserved boost from grants, including the annual Hot Air Balloon Festival, the Gallagher Boathouse 8’s, the Eve Rimmer Games for disabled athletes, the annual National Exhibition of Floral Art, the Hamilton Gardens Summer Festival and the Hamilton Operatic Society, to assist with staging The Rocky Horror Show later in 2005.”

“The Waikato community will also benefit from grants to Friends of Lake Hakanoa Walkway and the completion of the Indian Char Bagh Garden - the Indian Garden is the Hamilton Garden’s sixth and final themed garden to be completed,” she said.

Another key area of support involves community well-being, with grants to Diabetes Waikato, the four agencies involved in Hamilton’s VIP Violence Intervention Project – Parentline, HAIP (Hamilton Abuse Intervention Project), Te Whakaruruhau and Hamilton Refuge and Support Services.

The majority of grants were awarded to organisations in the Hamilton region, with a proportion of grants being allocated to the greater Waikato region.
Grant recipients included:

- Birthright (Waikato) Te Whanautanga Tika Inc. - to subsidise 30 children to attend a holiday camp;
- Books in Prison Trust - for a programme, which teaches prisoners to read to their children;
- Philips Search & Rescue Trust - for a traffic control advisory system (TCAS) designed to detect aircraft intersecting their flight path;
- Matamata Community Resource Trust - for stage two of a building refurbishment programme - office space will be available for use by community groups;
- Raglan Community Radio Inc. - to purchase a transmitter;
- Project Kiwiana – for a Kiwiana Educational resources Kit, based on the school curriculum;
- United Youth Orchestra – to purchase a piccolo.

“Funding was also allocated by the Trust to the Problem Gambling Committee for the provision of problem gambling prevention and treatment services,” said Mrs Evans.

SKYCITY Hamilton General Manager Operations Phil Keber said he is pleased that SKYCITY Hamilton can further support the local community through the Trust’s activities.

“SKYCITY has developed strong relationships within our local community and we’re thrilled to continue our support, through the Trust, in providing funding assistance to these organisations which are undertaking important work in our community,” says Mr Keber.

Full details of the SKYCITY Hamilton Community Trust’s successful funding applicants will be announced at a special function for the Trust recipients at SKYCITY Hamilton on Wednesday 8 December.

The SKYCITY Hamilton Community Trust was established in 2003, as part of the SKYCITY Hamilton licence applications process, to provide funds for community and charitable purposes. The Trust has distributed more than $850,000 in grants to the Waikato community since it opened.

Each year in September the Trust will invite applications for grants from a wide range of community and charitable organisations. Funds available for distribution are 1.5% of the revenue from the casino operations of SKYCITY Hamilton.

ENDS

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