Eastern and Central Community Trust pitches softball cash

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

THE Eastern and Central Community Trust will this week give financial assistance to the Tairawhiti Softball Association. Their $25,000 donation will help build a secure fence around the new playing diamond at Waikirikiri Reserve.

“Softball in Gisborne is a family-oriented sport which is growing rapidly, and Tairawhiti Softball is part of a region-wide project to provide alcohol-free sport and engender a positive, well behaved approach on the sideline,” said community trust general manager Jonathan Bell.

“There are benefits for the whole community, not just those involved in softball.”

Tairawhiti Softball president Walton Walker said the new diamond would help improve the standard of play for the 600 players in the five-to-18-year-old age group.

“We’ve built those numbers since 2008 and we’ve developed numerous age-group teams. With that comes development and we’re improving the playing standards,” he says.

“We are reaching out to new sectors of the community, with players getting into representative teams, travelling and playing on the national stage. We have a handful of players who we think have the goods to play at New Zealand level and we hope they will be seen by national talent scouts.

“We have never had any Tairawhiti/Gisborne players play for New Zealand but I’m sure if we keep evolving as we are, it is not if but when that will happen.”

Mr Walton was hopeful the diamond at Waikirikiri Park would be ready for the new softball season starting in February, with some additional fundraising still required to complete the fencing.