Wellbeing funding will support everything from an art workshop to an over-sixties movement class and a roller skate disco this autumn. 

The latest $50,000 Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group funding round has supported 52 groups, providing each of them with up to $1,000 to go towards their community led activities.

Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group chair Adell Cox said that the range of initiatives in this latest Connecting Communities funding round were “outstanding”.

“We saw a burst of fresh ideas this time as well as some return applicants who are using the funding to develop their original initiatives into more sustainable programmes.”

Upper Clutha initiatives include Mt Aspiring College Special Needs Unit’s weekly gym sessions and a calendar of activities including tennis, cricket, soccer and darts for the Makorora Valley community.

Other local recipients included M!NT Charitable Trust, who received support for a three-day music therapy workshop, and Community Wellbeing For Yoga, who will host a 10-session yoga series.

The Connecting Communities fund supports community-led activities and events which encourage people to look after each other and have fun.

The funding for the programme is made possible through the government’s Tourism Communities: Support, Recovery, and Re-Set Plan and the programme was launched in November 2021.

Since then, there have been five funding rounds, 237 recipients and nearly $230,000 injected across the Southern Lakes to help people improve mental wellbeing, social connection and resilience.

The next Connecting Communities funding round will open in June and eligible not-for-profit groups can apply for up to $1,000 including GST to support community-focused mental wellbeing initiatives. 

Find more details and other Te Hau Toka initiatives here.

PHOTO: Supplied