New Zealanders benefit from Mazda Foundation grants

21 August 2013

New Zealanders benefit from Mazda Foundation grants

The Mazda Foundation has donated more than $56,000 to 19 individuals and groups from around New Zealand as part of the Foundation’s second round of funding for 2013.

Each year, the Mazda Foundation holds three funding rounds and selects New Zealanders, community groups and charities that are in need of support.

This round, a combination of individuals, schools, charities and clubs were granted much needed funding from the Foundation, including the Fitzroy Surf Life Saving Club which has received $2600 to purchase four new rescue boards for their Junior Surf members.

With more than 15,000 kms of New Zealand coastline, developing a strong culture of water safety is of high importance and that is what Fitzroy Surf Club are trying to achieve. The club educates junior members around how to behave in and around the beach environment as well as developing their rescue and first aid techniques.

Unfortunately, with 120 Junior Surf members there has been insufficient equipment to service all of the members and provide them with the robust training required to become a Surf Lifesaver. Four new 8’10” foam boards were required to proficiently service the Junior Surf Lifesaving season, which begins in October.

“With the help of the Mazda Foundation’s generous grant we’re looking forward to a terrific new season and the ability to accommodate more of our Junior Surf members with the best possible training to become heroes on our beaches,” says Emma Crofskey, Fundraising Coordinator at Fitzroy Surf Club.

“This donation is not just helping our club, but everyone who spends time on New Zealand’s beaches. We help our members to develop the skills required to save the lives of others across the country from one of nature’s most forceful environments.”

Another charity to receive support in this round of funding is Wellington City MenzShed, a trust that provides an environment where older, isolated men of Wellington are able to find companionship, develop new skills and make use of a workshop to benefit society at large.

With funding from the Mazda Foundation, MenzShed are able to pay for the maintenance of workshop equipment, ensuring that tools are working efficiently and are safe for the men who use them.

Wellington City MenzShed Secretary, John Shrapnell, says “We’re so grateful to receive assistance for the second year in a row. Last year the Mazda Foundation helped us to equip the workshop with essential tools, and this year we are able to keep them maintained and purchase consumables such as bolts and screws that will help us to deliver on projects that will benefit the community.

“I wish that everyone could see the affect these projects have on the men we care for at City MenzShed. It can be incredibly depressing for a man to believe he’s no longer valued in society, but working on a community project helps to restore their self-esteem and sense of belonging. We have just completed two timber glasshouse frames for the Aro Valley Community Centre and it’s not hard to spot the smiles around the workshop.”

Andrew Clearwater, Chairman of the Mazda Foundation, says the Foundation is thrilled to be able to assist with such a wide variety of projects across New Zealand.

“The Mazda Foundation is very grateful to be in a position to provide assistance to these worthy causes around the country. Each year we receive so many applications from inspirational kiwis that would benefit from the Foundation’s assistance and we wish we could accommodate them all.

Whether it’s saving lives on New Zealand’s beaches or providing support to our older citizens, it’s amazing to see the benefit these grants are having in our communities. We hope to be in a position to continue and grow our support of these deserving groups and individuals for a long time to come.”

Other grants this round include funding to purchase musical instruments for the students of Mangawhai Beach Primary School, security alarms for the Te Whakaruruhau Maori Women’s Refuge, and an insulin pump for a six-year-old who suffers from Type 1 Diabetes.

The Mazda Foundation has now distributed $1,448,980.55 to 389 recipients since its establishment in 2005. The Foundation is funded through a contribution from the sale of every new Mazda in New Zealand.

The closing date for the next round of Mazda Foundation applications is 30 September 2013. For more information or to download an application form, visit www.mazdafoundation.org.nz.

Full list of Mazda Foundation grant recipients

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