Licensing Trust - Community Support Donations

Community Support Donations

The original Licensing Trust legislation provided an enabling clause to donate moneys back to their communities in support of the promotion, advancement, or encouragement of education, science, literature, art, physical welfare, and any other cultural and recreational purposes;…(and) any other philanthropic purposes> .

This now extensive activity is undoubtedly what endears Licensing Trusts most to their communities. Their annual reports example a very wide range of recipients across the broad spectrum of community life. The elected nature of Trusts delivers Trustees representative of the community with a wide knowledge of its needs. Each Trust Board decides what community organisations and events shall be supported, and donations are many and varied as exampled:

• Henley Lake Masterton

In 1968, the then Mayor of Masterton advocated to the Masterton Licensing Trust that wasteland on the edge of the town, bordered by two rivers, be converted into a recreational lake and parklands. Over the years since, the Trust has supported the scheme with many donations totalling hundreds of thousand dollars so that today, a lake of 14 hectares, parklands with walking and running tracks, wildlife reserves, and public facilities (for example, a Men’s Shed) support activities generating many hundreds of visitors daily. (See www.library.mstn.govt.nz/history/HenleyLake.html)

In the past 10 years, Trust House, the trading arm of the Masterton Licensing Trust, has distributed $31.150million to its communities.

• Mataura Licensing Trust

For 56 years, the Mataura Licensing Trust has been investing in its community, returning profits to its customers and creating jobs. It has been instrumental in future-proofing sporting amenities, as well as supporting the arts, education and destination events, all of which directly or indirectly bolster the local economy. Gore’s multi-sports complex is the flag ship of its endeavours – a venue featuring the latest water-turf technology for hockey, a four-court event centre, a short-course Olympic ice skating rink and a two-pool aquatic centre established in partnership with local Government and sports groups. The complex has hosted national tournaments and events, such as the Young Farmer of the Year, and made Gore the envy of many.

• Invercargill Licensing Trust

Several years ago, the Trust, working with all Invercargill school Principals, established a goal to pursue initiatives that would lead to Invercargill schools being recognised as leaders in education in New Zealand. A number have since been implemented, supported by Trust funding:

Interactive Whiteboard Project (IWB)

Since 2005 the Trust has funded and installed 355 IWBs in Invercargill classrooms at a cost of $4.5million, revolutionising teaching methods and setting the City apart.

Gifted and Talented Kids Programme

The Trust have fully funded the establishment of an Excellence and Innovation Centre for all Invercargill primary school children. The Centre has a dual function of teaching gifted and talented children, as well as hosting classes so that pupils can experience the most up-to-date technology.

Teachers Professional Development

Since 2005 the Trust has provided $2.5million for teachers to access innovative learning opportunities both within New Zealand and internationally, including attracting world class speakers to Invercargill.

Tertiary Education Scholarships

185 Scholarships have been funded to Invercargill secondary school students at $2000 a year for a three-year period.

Learn to Swim Classes

Annually, the Trust funds free swimming lessons, including transport to and from, for children aged between 5 and 12.

• Portage And Waitakere Licensing Trusts: West Auckland

If you play any kind of sport in West Auckland, you have probably made use of one of The Trusts most significant investments in that community – The Trusts Stadium. Not only can you now play the sport in an internationally renowned facility, you can see sporting superstars and headline music acts from around the world. The Stadium attracts events from fashion shows to rock concerts, community gatherings to local sporting competitions. The venue has enjoyed several million visitors since opening in September 2004. It attracts 600,000 visitors a year, making it one of the most accessible stadiums in New Zealand. (See www.thetrustsstadium.co.nz. )

The Trusts Stadium has been extensively supported by the Waitakere and Portage Licensing Trusts since its inception. Their grants were the backbone of the $28million spent on the project.

The Trusts also support many other clubs, associations and groups across arts, culture, social services and sport to enhance West Auckland’s vibrant and diverse community. $85million has been donated in the last eight years.

• Ashburton Trust Event Centre

10 years ago when the Ashburton community recognised the need for an all encompassing performing arts centre, the Licensing Trust supported the project, and over the years has contributed $1.6million to feasibility studies, planning, development and establishment.

The events centre receives around 45,000 visitors annually through shows, conferences and award ceremonies, many from outside the district, thus enhancing economic growth as well as cultural diversity.

• Rimutaka Licensing Trust

In 2002, this small Trust which operates a one Tavern outlet on the fringe of Upper Hutt City, took responsibility to build a sound shell stage in Harcourt Park. The $281,250 stage was then gifted to the City and the people of Upper Hutt. Rimutaka schools have also benefitted from major donations over the past decade.

In the 10 years between 2001 and 2010, the Trust has supported its community with donations of $4.6million.

• Flaxmere Licensing Trust

The Flaxmere Trust was the last of the licensing trusts established in 1975 and over the years has supported its low income community with wide ranging grants to education in this village of Hastings. During the last 20 years, the Trust has $4.7 million to the Flaxmere community.

• Mt Wellington Charitable Trust

Mt Wellington Charitable Trust was formed in 1964. The Trust focuses on assisting a wide variety of charitable, educational, cultural and sporting organisations located in the local areas of Mt Wellington, Panmure, Glen Innes, Ellerslie and Otahuhu. The average annual allocation of donations exceeds $1 million per annum.

The first major project the Trust embarked upon was the establishment of Swimarama, the local swimming pool complex in 1968.

More recent major projects involve provision of technical equipment to lower decile schools in the area; establishment at Bill McKinley Park of artificial turf for soccer and other community sporting activities, and assistance in developing the Auckland Netball Courts over the past five years which is now one of the largest sporting facilities in Auckland.