$1.5m distributed to community causes

Allan Pollard, Chief Executive at Trust House Limited.

Netball Wairarapa, Destination Wairarapa and Aratoi museum were major recipients for this year's Trust House Foundation annual grants, which saw $1.5 million distributed to Wairarapa causes.

Nearly half the grants were for "Community Development", while a third was devoted to recreation and sport.

A grants evening, at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort Solway Park on Monday night, saw presentations from the major recipients, followed by a cheque handover to all groups by trustees.

Aratoi director Alice Hutchison said Trust House had been generous with its support, with $115,000 being the largest grant they had received from the foundation.

She thanked the "ongoing commitment of Trust House to their programme", allowing them to showcase local, national and international artists, plus workshops, performances and educational programmes.

"This is an unprecedented and very generous grant."

It will enable Aratoi to develop a "major partnership" with Ngati Kahungunu this year during their Treaty settlement negotiations.

Netball Wairarapa spokesman Luther Toloa said Wairarapa's netball community deserved a top-level facility at Colombo Rd, and this year received $218,000 towards that goal.

"We want to future-proof our facility for the next 30 years.

"We want to give the region a facility to give them the ability to bid for national, international games," he said.

"The grant is a substantial gift, an acknowledgement the facility does indeed need upgrading.

"Netball deserves it, the community deserves it."

Destination Wairarapa received $242,000.

South Wairarapa Mayor Adrienne Staples praised Trust House for its support towards Martinborough's community hub, the Wahinga Centre, and thanked it for helping the Featherston Menz Shed.

The council received $150,000 towards the hub, while the Menz Shed, which was donated a former bottle-store building, got $35,000.

Prue Smith, manager of the Wairarapa Teen Parenting Unit, spoke of the "generous" $23,000 grant from Trust House which had enabled each of its 25 young mothers to get a laptop for their studies.

Wairarapa Bush chief executive Tony Hargood spoke of the help received for the $2.15 million Memorial Park upgrade, including the lights and artificial turf.

They received $105,000.

Trustee Ray Southey said Trust House was a "value added" organisation.

The trust, which administers hospitality venues and rental properties, pays out $7 million in wages each year and spends $10 million on goods and services from the community.