One hundred and seventeen community groups have been allocated a share of $307,000 in the latest funding round from the Hutt Mana Charitable Trust.

Trust Chairman, John Gwilliam, says there was a huge number of applications from a very diverse range of groups.

“The total amount sought by all the groups that applied was $1.4 million and unfortunately we just don’t have the resources to provide grants to everyone. So, while we’re delighted to have allocated more than $300,000, we’re very conscious of the financial needs and hardship many groups doing great work in the community are facing.”

Mr Gwilliam says it was very hard to prioritise where the funding should go with so many worthy causes applying.

“However, our task for allocating the funding pales into insignificance when you think of the hard work these groups are doing, mostly on a volunteer basis, every day in the community. We are in awe of what they do.

“We’ve been able to support organisations like the Upper Hutt Municipal Brass Band who are moving into new premises and needed help with their costs, we’re also supporting numerous schools and kindergartens who were asking for assistance with sports uniforms and outdoor education camps.”

NZ VIEW Wellington Area Group (Visually Impaired Empowering Woman) was another recipient. Mr Gwilliam says they received $1,000 to help with their work with the New Zealand Foundation for the Blind assisting visually impaired woman in the Hutt Mana area to get to events and to ensure they have other supports in place.

Cultural groups like the Kerry Irish Dancers, and the South Indian Culture group: Wellington Mutamizh Sangam (WMS), also benefited this time, says Mr Gwilliam.

“We’re lucky because we have a wide mandate and we aren’t restricted in what we can support – we’re prepared to give to operational costs like salaries. Lots of other Trusts don’t fund that sort of thing but we think it’s important and are happy to help with that.

“This time round we’ve supported Special Olympics Mana and the Wellington Riding for the Disabled Association. We’ve also provided funding for the Hutt Valley Sexual Abuse Support and Healing group to help fund a crisis support coordinator and support worker.”

An awards evening was held in late March to present the successful groups with their funding certificates.

“It was great to get everyone together and hear their stories. It was also a great networking opportunity for the groups to meet similar organisations doing the same kind of things in other parts of the Hutt Mana region – which covers Porirua, North Wellington and Upper and Lower Hutt.”

For a full list of grants recipients from the February 2019 funding round visit: http://hmct.org.nz/.

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