Ashburton Courier: August 26, 2021

www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
NEWS
Ashburton Courier, August 26, 2021
19
Bookarama funds support many causes
The RotaryClub of Ashburton
Charitable Trust has
distributed over $75,000toa
variety of causesoverthe past
18 months andits biggest
income source, Bookarama, is
set to take place again next
month.
Establishedin2008 on advice
from IRDand Rotary NZ,the
trust wasset up to minimise tax
implicationsfor theservice
club.
Trustees aremembers of the
AshburtonRotary and funding
is distributedregularly to local
individuals, projects, and
groups, andalsocharitable
Rotarycauses overseas.
RotaryClub of Ashburton
Charitable Trust chairperson
Don McLeod said Bookarama
was the big money earnerfor
the club andhad been running
for over 30 years.
In recent years it had raised
between $50­$60,000 each year.
Mr McLeod said there wasa
long list of causes supported
through the trust andoften they
wereongoing and received
annual grants.
Some of the major grants in
recent months hadbeengiven
to support the Lake Hood track
($10,000), flood relief ($5000),
Aviation Museum ($5000),
college prizes($5000), Mid
Canterbury BoxingAcademy
($5000+), Learning Centre
($5000), Books for Young people
($5000+)and Trott’s Garden
Don McLeod
($3000).
There wasongoing support
for community groups like the
pipeband, playcentres, croquet
club, writers group, St Vincent
de Pauland Salvation Army.
Mr McLeod said there was
also astrong focus on backing
studentcauses and as well as
academicprizes at both local
colleges, funding was given for
Boyle River leadership camp,
science schools at Auckland
and Otago universities, the
SpiritofAdventure, Outward
Boundand drivingcourses.
“We areaservice club and
meet for fellowship, but our
raison d’etre is also to do good
in ourcommunity.
“Its hearteningtobeableto
support so many worthwhile
causes.’’
The Rotary Club of Ashburton
CharitableTrust meets monthly
to consider applications.
Funding application forms
can be requested by emailing to
rotash@gmail.com or via the
club’s Facebook page.
Bookarama is always abusy
affair with the community
snapping up books and more at
bargain prices.
District promotion
contract agreed
AshburtonDistrictCouncil has
penned anew three year
contractwithChristchurchNZ
to deliver districtpromotion
activities.
Thecontractisworth
$195,000 peryear,as perthe
previous year’s contract.
It includes the twostrategic
keyperformance indicators
(KPIs)ofincreasing the
number of domestic visitors to
theAshburton Districtand
increasing the dollar spend per
domestic visitor.
The KPIs will be reviewed
and agreed on an annual basis
and will include promotionto
overseas markets if borders
starttoopenup.
In addition to the domestic
visitorpriorities,the contract
is designed to helplocal
providers upskill. It will also
aim to develop the Mid
Canterbury brand, and reduce
seasonality by identifying new
productsthat canbe developed
outside of thecurrent winter
season.
Money brought forward for
new co-funded toilets
Ashburton District Council
will bring forward allocated
capital funds for the
replacement and upgrade of
toilets at Taylors Stream and
Awa Awa Rata Reserve.
Some $68,000 have been
budgeted for each site in Year
3ofthe Long Term Plan, but
will now be spent earlier and
fully loan funded.
The toilets will be co­funded
after the recent
announcement of afunding
allocation of $158,328 from the
Tourism Infrastructure Fund.
The proposed
enhancements include new
replacement toilets and
landscaping and furniture at
both locations.
Council open spaces
manager Ian Soper said the
extra money from the Tourism
Infrastructure Fund would
mean asizeable upgrade of the
facilities at both locations.
New toilets would be more
environmentally friendly and
they would offer ahigher level
of service.
Taylors Stream camping and
picnicking area is located on
the Inland Scenic Route north
of Staveley, and is used by
picnickers and freedom
campers.
Awa Awa Rata Reserve is
another popular picnic area
14km from Methven and 2km
from the Mt Hutt ski field
turnoff.
It is widely known for its
spring display of
rhododendrons.