Trust Tairāwhiti approves more than $56,000 in community grants

The Gisborne Farmers Market.

More than $56,000 in community grants have been approved in the latest Trust Tairāwhiti funding round.

The Gisborne Farmers Market was the biggest recipient, receiving $11,209.65 for a new entertainment gazebo and one-year road closure fees.

The market has served the community for 15 years with fresh produce, locally-made food and entertainment on Saturday mornings. The gazebo provides a platform for local performers to attract more visitors and benefit local vendors and businesses. Road closures around the event ensure a pedestrian-friendly environment and provide space for more vendors during the busy summer period.

Gisborne Farmers Market manager Juanita Lambert said the organisation was thankful for the funding and appreciated the trust’s help and support through the application process.

“Our costs have been steadily going up and we’ve lost a few vendors including a Wairoa producer of organic fruit and vegies, so the market doesn’t feel as full,” she said.

The winter was particularly quiet but it had got busier over the last two weeks so Lambert was hoping things would continue to improve.

“A lot of our vendors are coming back now and the sunny weather is bringing in more people. We’re very grateful to all of our regulars but we always want new customers.”

The Gisborne Farmers Market is one of the biggest markets of its type in New Zealand for the size of its catchment area.

Hikurangi Sports Club will receive $8300 towards lighting for its home turf, Kahuitara sports ground in Whareponga. The club has made several improvements, including refitting an old hay barn into a kitchen and changing room facility, field drainage and concrete upgrades since moving to its home ground in 2019. The enhanced lighting will enable safe evening training and the potential for night games.

Mātai Medical Research Institute will receive $8300 to support its summer leadership programme to foster future leaders’ development in health science, computer science, medical, computational and engineering fields. Up to 16 undergraduate interns will work alongside experts on research projects tailored to their skills and knowledge. Priority will be given to undergraduates with a connection to Tairāwhiti.

Gisborne Alzheimers will also receive $8300 to expand its support services to meet the needs of the growing number of dementia patients in Tairāwhiti. The organisation has 165 clients and more than 600 inquiries annually and the money will help staff create personalised care plans and provide better support for whānau caregivers.

Other recipients include:

• Gisborne Area Jumping and Showhunter Inc: $6781.35 towards the Larsens Showjumping Championships event. This event attracts horse riders from across the country and even a team from Australia for the highly contested transtasman challenge.
• Te Araroa and Districts Progressive Association Incorporated: $5000 for a programme led by rangatahi, for rangatahi, that focuses on building capability in tikanga and kawa to apply in the marae.
• Tieki Taiao Wānanga: $5000 for a four-day wānanga that brought expert knowledge into Te Tairāwhiti, highlighting taiao solutions. The wānanga brought together iwi, hapū, whānau and community to discuss and explore various aspects of the taiao. A group of taiao experts from the north, along with local experts, shared knowledge about the taiao through a Mātauranga Māori lens.
• Whiti Ora Tairāwhiti: $3200 towards a koha for Gisborne-born Olympians to appear at an event at Ilminster Intermediate, celebrating local talent and allowing people to meet, greet and get inspired by their successes.

All successful funding applicants demonstrated outcomes that align with the Trust’s wellbeing framework, He Rangitapu He Tohu Ora.