Grants benefit East Coast union

GRATEFUL FOR SUPPORT: Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Union chief executive Cushla Tangaere-Manuel says gaming money is a valuable source of funds for the union. Picture supplied

RUGBY

THE Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Union has been awarded over $100,000 for representative uniforms, travel expenses and salaries in the latest round of New Zealand Community Trust grants.

Union chief executive Cushla Tangaere-Manuel said the organisation received close to what it asked for and the grant money was a welcome boost.

The $20,000 for uniforms was for age-group and women’s teams, she said.

The total grant of just over $104,000 also includes about $62,500 for salaries, $3000 for medical support and almost $18,600 for travel to tournaments and accommodation.

“We’re grateful and fortunate,” Tangaere-Manuel said.

All up, NZCT allocated $362,965 to sports and cultural groups in the Gisborne region.

The Mareikura Waka Ama Club received almost $67,600 for paddles and two boats.

Midway Surf Life Saving Club was allocated just over $49,500 to help pay for club administration and lifeguard coaching.

Harry Barker Sports Facilities Trust was granted $30,000 towards completion of a security fence at Harry Barker Reserve.

Tangaere-Manuel said the East Coast Rugby Union had put an emphasis on youth development.

Geographical isolation presented challenges and the union sometimes had to create its own opportunities or run development camps to help teams prepare for tournaments outside the region.

The union covers the area from Whangaparaoa in the north to Pouawa in the south — an expanse stretching nearly 200 kilometres.

“We emphasised the reality of our region and, yet, what we’re accomplishing,” Tangaere-Manuel said.

NZCT grants are funded through the proceeds of gaming machines.

Tangaere-Manuel said it would be hard for the union to operate without that money and the NZCT grant allocation had given her “cause to exhale”.

“We’re heavily dependent on grant money and sponsorship,” she said.

'We’re very dependent on gaming money'“We’re very dependent on gaming money.”

However, the union has to budget conservatively about receiving such funding because it may or may not be awarded grants and the amounts vary.

Most of the union’s revenue comes from New Zealand Rugby.

Ngati Porou East Coast received just over $70,000 from NZCT last year.

The trust contributed almost $56,000 the previous year for the development of a new office at Whakarua Park in Ruatoria, as well as almost $62,000 for salaries and vehicle leasing.

The union’s office — also funded or supported by the Lion Foundation, Lottery Grants Board, Mitre 10, Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou, Larsen Sawmilling, JR Fencing, Launch Construction and free labour from EIT apprentices — was finished in June this year.

Gaming venues that contributed to the latest NZCT Gisborne region grants were Bar 59, Bollywood Stars, Mo’s Sports Bar and Grill, ShipWreck, and Sugar.

The Gisborne International Music Competition Charitable Trust received $12,000 to pay a manager; Hatea a Rangi School was granted $35,000 towards a school van; Lytton High School, $10,000 for travel and accommodation; Ngatapa Rugby and Associated Sports Club, $20,000 for a shed; Poverty Bay Hockey Association, $30,000 for administration and operations salaries; and Tapuihikitia Marae, nearly $4670 for a mower.