Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

'Unsung heroes' recognised

By Joseph Aldridge
Bay of Plenty Times·
2 Sep, 2013 06:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Devan Plastics general manager Jamie Lunam thinks businesses should 'share the love' with their communities. Photo / File

Devan Plastics general manager Jamie Lunam thinks businesses should 'share the love' with their communities. Photo / File

Bay of Plenty small-to-medium enterprises are more likely to give their support to community sport groups than any other region in New Zealand, a new survey by the BNZ has found.

Nationwide the survey found nearly three quarters of those who responded thought businesses should support their communities, and 58 per cent were supporting local community groups or charities.

A quarter of supporting businesses expected to increase their support over the coming year and 78 per cent did not expect any return on their investment.

Devan Plastics general manager Jamie Lunam said businesses had an obligation to assist community groups where possible.

"On a small scale we support just about anyone who comes to the door asking for help. For example if they are selling those fundraiser chocolate bars we will buy a whole box and walk around the factory handing them out to the staff.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"On a bigger scale it is always easier to provide product than write cheques and so we will support charity auctions with product or sometimes we get specific applications from say a school who wants a water tank and so we may gift them one."

Health House managing director Mike Coory said his company supported community groups.

"We use Avalon's mail centre for the sending out of our catalogues, we also donate to charitable organisations," he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mr Coory said his company did not expect any direct return on its community support investments but acknowledged there was some benefit in being seen to help the community.

"It is important to help your local community to ensure the local area is the best it can be.

"The flow-on effects to the quality of life for ourselves and our staff and our customers is closely linked to the quality of the community."

Puma Darts managing director Julie Carlson said her company supported two communities. "Our primary area to support is our dart community with players, tournaments, darts association grassroots youth teams - these all happen around the world at all sorts of levels. We also support our local community in Katikati, whether it be the local school, kindy, fire brigade, coastguard or a club."

Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Max Mason said small-to-medium enterprises did a lot to help community groups and were the "heart of the community".

"You just have to look at how much school sport is supported by them.

"Small-to-medium enterprise owners are unsung heroes in my view and I'm delighted this study has shone a light on their efforts and given them the recognition they deserve."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times

Feet first: Why two men are walking from Auckland to Te Puke

Bay of Plenty Times

New children’s series filmed in Bay of Plenty premieres this weekend

Bay of Plenty Times

Police appeal for witnesses after deadly SH1 crash near Taupō


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Feet first: Why two men are walking from Auckland to Te Puke
Bay of Plenty Times

Feet first: Why two men are walking from Auckland to Te Puke

They aim to raise awareness for mental health and support The Hub's work.

19 Jul 02:23 AM
New children’s series filmed in Bay of Plenty premieres this weekend
Bay of Plenty Times

New children’s series filmed in Bay of Plenty premieres this weekend

19 Jul 12:00 AM
Police appeal for witnesses after deadly SH1 crash near Taupō
Bay of Plenty Times

Police appeal for witnesses after deadly SH1 crash near Taupō

18 Jul 11:25 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP