2008 Annual Report - ASB Community Trust

21SECTOR SHOWCASESport & RecreationWe support projects that encouragepeople of all ages to participate insport and recreation, with a particularfocus on the young, the old andpromotion of health and fitness.ACT ONE – Waka amaPaddlers have been lining up to join in waka ama, or outriggercanoe racing, since Nga Hoe Uranga Ki Kaipara Waka AmaClub was formed on the northern shores of Kaipara Harbour.In fact, with only one leased six-seater waka and 65 activemembers, the organising committee last year decided not toencourage new members until there were more waka available.Even with those limited resources, the club had five teams outon the water three evenings a week, and on Sunday mornings.Last year an ASB Community Trust grant helped buy twotwo-seater waka, two six-seater waka, a trailer and safety boat.Now, the club reports that the teams are having even more fun,learning together, building a competitive spirit, but also feelingsafer because other waka are in the water.The club makes the waka available to Northland Polytechnic’sOutdoor Education Programme and Otamatea High Schoolwhich is training for the secondary school sprint nationals.It also has strong support from the local iwi, Te Uri O Hau. Allthose involved see waka ama as promoting kotahitanga (unity)and a vehicle to educate rangatahi about the Kaipara’s spiritual,cultural and environmental values.ACT TWO – TennisMangere Combined Tennis Club consistently producestop players.It fields eight inter-club teams and a full junior coachingprogramme. It also has a diverse ethnic membership and ishome to some of the country’s best Maori players.Many years ago several small clubs decided to amalgamate, createa critical mass and pool their resources to provide a modernfacility. But after 17 years of seven-days-a-week play, the allweathertennis courts were showing their age. The tennis postswere erected in the 1970s and the fencing was in a sorry state.The upgrade was a six-figure job, but the club sourced grantsfrom eight different funders, including ASB Community Trust,to complete the job.www.mctc.co.nzACT THREE – Surf Life SavingSurf Lifesaving Northern Region celebrates its 75th jubilee in2008 – and as you’d expect, the celebration was a life-savingexperience.It launched an education programme, City Nippers, to teachschool-age children water survival skills. Recognising that therisks are not confined to the beach, the programme includesskills for lakes, rivers and pools, waves, rips and currents.When ASB Community Trust was asked to help, we sawCity Nippers as a good match for our aim: encouragingparticipation in sport and recreation.Because the programme was offered after school, on Sundaymorning and on holiday programmes, it also reached childrenoutside of the region’s surf clubs, which fits with our focus onthe participation of the young.372 children, aged from seven to twelve, joined in – hopefullythat’s 372 fewer rescues that Surf Lifesaving will need to makein years to come.The 2007/08 grant also helped with surf lifesaving’s communityeducation programmes, lifeguard training and equipment.www.lifesaving.org.nz