Arboretum donations matched up to $1m

DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR: JN Williams Memorial Trust’s Marcus Williams with Eastwoodhill chair Jane Williams, curator Martin Weaver and manager Marion Nicholas. Picture by Markus Brunner

Although it is revered by many as the National Arboretum of New Zealand, Eastwoodhill receives no government funding and is reliant on donations and grants to survive.

In 2016 that was given a boost when Gisborne’s Sunrise Foundation set up an endowment fund for people to donate to.

Now, JN Williams Memorial Trust has pledged to match any donation to the Eastwoodhill Arboretum Endowment Fund at The Sunrise Foundation — dollar for dollar — up to $1 million.

“Unfortunately the funding avenues Eastwoodhill has relied on in the past are not enough for us to operate and grow a sustainable business today,” Eastwoodhill chair Jane Williams said.

“We appreciate the generosity of the trust and hope their gift, along with others, will enhance our ability to be self-reliant and stand strong on our own two feet.

“We are unbelievably excited and grateful.”

Not only would donations be instantly doubled, the endowment fund would also grow for the future and keep giving back to the arboretum forever.