From over $1M granted by Central Lakes Trust (CLT) at its latest board meeting, $668K will go directly to the Upper Clutha.

Key infrastructure projects supported in the latest funding round include $400,000 towards the project to convert Wānaka’s former Mitre 10 into a youth and community centre and $120,000 for the Mount Aspiring College (MAC) redevelopment. 

“These projects both create much needed community spaces which will accommodate many community groups into the future,” CLT chief executive Susan Finlay said.

“The Upper Clutha, like the other subregions of Central Lakes, has experienced significant population growth over the past few years. These two projects go some way to giving the community the spaces it needs to accommodate the expanded population,” she said. 

Other local recipients of CLT funding in the last funding round were LandSAR, which received $9,000 for its avalanche dogs’ team equipment; local charity M!NT, which received $33,966 to help support people with intellectual disability in the Upper Clutha region; and the NZ Mountain Film Festival, which received $1,383 for its youth programme. 

CLT also supported the Upper Clutha Presbyterian Church to provide two youth workers at MAC with a grant of $20,000.

The church is delivering the nationally-run ‘24-7 Youth Workers’ programme. It is a programme being run at 75 other high schools around New Zealand.

“Central Lakes Trust is keen to support initiatives like this, as we recognise that our Central Lakes taitamariki’s wellbeing is not exempt from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic,” CLT grants manager Mat Begg said. 

In total over $1.09 million was approved by CLT trustees at the June meeting, taking the total grants approved for the financial year to date to $5.82 million, from a total grants budget of $12M.

Central Lakes Trust is a charitable trust that grants funds for charitable purposes, and it is the largest philanthropic trust per capita in the Southern Hemisphere.

PHOTO: Wānaka App