Winners of extreme paint makeover announced

Communities in for colourful facelift as winners of extreme paint makeover announced

A cemetery, a silver band hall, several scout halls, a marae in Marlborough and one of the oldest community rugby clubs in the country, are among the 20 local buildings and landmarks from as far afield as the Far North to the deep South of New Zealand which have won a free extreme paint makeover, courtesy of leading New Zealand paint manufacturer, Dulux.

In April this year Dulux launched a nationwide competition that aimed to help brighten up communities all over the country. Dulux was looking for much loved and well used local buildings or landmarks that were in dire need of a fresh coat of paint.

A total of 20 extreme paint makeovers were on offer, with each prize including up to 100 litres of Dulux Colours of New Zealand paint, a free colour consultation from one of Dulux's colour experts, plus technical specification advice and tips on suitable preparation and products.

Dulux New Zealand's General Manager, Julia Myers, said that the company had been totally overwhelmed by the response of nearly 500 applications from a wide range of community groups from throughout the country, from schools to surf lifesaving groups, to A&P Associations and theatres, right through to boxing clubs and scout troops.

In fact, Dulux - which held a similar community paint makeover competition in 2008 called "Paint the Town" - was so heartened by the response from hard working and deserving community organisations, that as well as providing paint and technical assistance to 20 projects, the company has decided to extended the project to provide up to 60 litres of paint to a further 30 community projects throughout the nation.

A total of around 3,800 litres of Dulux paint will be donated.

Says Julia Myers: "The response was extremely heartwarming and we were humbled by the applications from many hard-working community groups who really are the lifeline of their communities. It was incredibly difficult to separate out the most deserving recipients, but we hope that a fresh coat of paint and a new colour scheme will breathe new life and energy into their buildings and restore them to full use again in their communities."

Among the 20 major winners were:

* Millers Flat School, near Roxburgh in Central Otago, which will be 125 years old in October this year. The school has managed to paint half its buildings but work has come to a halt because funds have run out. With two teachers and only 33 students, scarce resources have to be devoted mainly towards students.

* Russell School in Porirua. Those nominating the school said "A fresh vibrant paint job will help lift despondent spirits of the community which uses the hall for many different purposes, such as Breakfast in Schools in the morning, Cultural groups, and Church Groups on Sunday."

* Omaka Marae in Marlborough, which has welcomed thousands of visitors since it moved into old Air Force buildings in 1975. More than 30 people nominated the marae, which as well as being a focal point of its community, also runs a number of health, social and cultural activities. Development Officer, Kiley Nepia said all these activities had taken a toll on the marae, which was badly in need of a "bit of aroha and a paint makeover."

* The Te Hapua Community Sports Centre in Northland. Locals were so desperate to paint the centre they had mixed spare lots of paint to come up with what observers called a "murky green." Brian Barnett, Manager for CanTeen in Auckland and Northland, who nominated the community centre for a makeover, said Te Hapua was a community which "has very little materially, but huge love and humanity."

* Waimatuku Hall, built before 1900, and on the Southern Scenic Route, State Highway 99, just east of Riverton. The hall has been home to the Waimatuku Highland Pipe Band for 75 years, along with staging local theatrical and school productions.

* Inangahua Silver Band Hall, on the West Coast, another historic hall dating back to 1903. The silver band is part of the local cultural landscape and still practises in the hall. According to Helen Bollinger, who nominated the building for a makeover, it has fabulous acoustics because of its dome ceiling, but she adds that "the iconic building is deeply in need of a paint job."

* The Pacific Surf Lifesaving Club in Napier which provides lifesaving duties along Marine Parade. The club recently replaced their leaking club house roof, but do not have enough funds to paint its water stained ceilings. "The exterior is well overdue for a makeover, with the hard seaside environment eroding the current paintwork and making it look tired and shabby."

A complete list of the community organisations and projects that will receive a free paint makeover from Dulux can be found in the accompanying document.

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