The New Zealand Community Trust is pleased to announce a grant of $6,388 to the Narrows Park Ministry, which runs a non-profit Christian camp located near Hamilton in the beautiful Waikato.

The generous grant from the NZCT will go towards buying a caged trailer that will not only facilitate the transportation of bigger and heavier sporting and activities equipment, but also enable the implementation an efficient recycling system. In a rural environment where regular refuse collection is not an option, the camp will now be able to transport recycling and rubbish to offsite transfer stations.

Park Director Al Belcher commented, “The trailer will be a central part of our recycling processes here at Camp, as well as transporting within the grounds. Narrows Park hosts groups, largely schools and community groups, and as part of that service we collect and transport recycling to the depots in Hamilton City. As the amount we process has increased, we are in need of better solutions and the trailer will meet that need.”

This improved recycling process will set an excellent example to those who attend the school camps, as well as providing a cleaner and safer environment for recreation that meets improved health and safety policies and procedures. With greater capacity and improved efficiency, the campsite will be able to provide much greater opportunities for youth to grow their leadership skills in ways that will positively affect their local communities.

In addition to offering their venue for hire, Narrows hosts a variety of children's camps and runs regular leadership training events, encouraging kids to enjoy outdoor games and activities in a safe and fun rural environment. A wide variety of camping activities are available at Narrows, from simple accommodation in a cosy bunk room that takes you back to those great days of sleepovers with all your mates to powered sites for mobile campers, buses, and vans.

Narrows' charitable work is focused on developing youth leaders, providing the young adults who lead the kids’ camps with an opportunity to refine their skills. It has a rich history of working towards a sustainable future, developing young leaders, strong families, and a great community through their diversified camping platform. Narrows Park was established as a Christian Camp on 26 acres of countryside in 1953. Today, it operates largely as a leadership farm, working predominantly with youth and young adults, developing leadership skills and providing practical opportunities in a camp environment.

When Narrows is not running events, it hosts a variety of church camps, sporting groups, school camps, community organisations, and weddings. Situated high on the banks of New Zealand's longest river, 26 camp sites provide plenty of room for a whole range of outdoor activities. Facilities include a shared kitchen, covered deck, washrooms, showers, a swimming pool, coin laundry, and wood-fired BBQ pits. It is also home to the largest colony of extremely rare long-tailed bats in the country.

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