A new community grant scheme will help get “more people, more active, more often,” Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) says.

The ‘Get Active Community Grant’ will support not-for-profit organisations and charities that benefit the health and wellbeing of people around the district by providing free access to QLDC sport and recreation facilities for their clients and customers. 

The options available to eligible organisations are: an annual bundle of free entry vouchers that an organisation can provide to individuals for a one-off use (total 100 vouchers maximum per year); free ten-visit passes to council sport and recreation facilities in an organisation’s name; and when a carer accompanies a customer, access for the carer is also free (total 30 x ten-visit passes maximum per year).

Sports organisations are not eligible for the grant; instead it is designed to help people who might otherwise not be able to access sport and recreation services.

“The grant is aimed at groups more closely aligned with providing community support for those in need,” a QLDC media representative told the Wānaka App.

“For example, a local social service agency already distributing food parcels may choose to apply for a grant so they can provide swim passes to those same clients who might be on a low income.”

QLDC sport and recreation manager Simon Battrick said the new grant replaces the long-running athlete development sponsorship programme.

“It has been hugely rewarding to see our in-kind support help local athletes achieve their goals over several years but now more than ever it feels the right time to reach out more broadly, especially to those in our communities who may not be able to access sport and recreation facilities so easily,” he said.

“Our mission is to get more people, more active, more often and this new grant connects well with a key goal of [council goal] Vision Beyond 2050.”

Applications for the first year’s grants are open now and close on Thursday September 30.

More details including eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found online here.

PHOTO: Wānaka App