Lottery money protects New Zealand's environment and heritage

23/03/2004

Nearly $1 million of lottery funding has been distributed to community-led natural, physical and cultural heritage projects.

The Lottery Environment and Heritage Committee has approved 34 grants worth $999, 477. More than sixty grants were considered, with requests for funding totalling more than $5 million.

Lottery Grants Board acting secretary Morag Osborne says the committee is one of New Zealand’s few national funding sources for heritage projects, and this round of grants exemplifies the diversity of projects it supports.

They included:

• $5,000 to the Blackball Museum of Working Class History to videotape oral histories during this year’s Mayday celebrations.

“The development of a museum dedicated to working class history is a unique project and a wonderful concept. This grant will enable the Blackball community’s stories and histories to be captured, preserved and shared for years to come,” Morag Osborne says.

• $26,544 to enable the Massey University Natural Resource Management Group to track the movements of New Zealand bush falcons in plantation forestry and develop a recovery programme.

“One year of study to date has exceeded all information obtained on the Bush Falcon over the last 30 years, and the committee considered this grant an excellent investment in New Zealand’s natural heritage,” Morag Osborne says.

• $250,000 to the Tauranga Civic Art Gallery Trust for a new Tauranga Art Gallery

“This was seen as a much-need cultural facility in Tauranga,” Morag Osborne says.

• $100,000 to the Crichton Cobbers Youth Club for seismic strengthening of a heritage building.

“The youth club has used this building as its headquarters for more than 75 years. This is an excellent example of how a nationally significant building has become an important part of a community’s day to day life,” Morag Osborne says.

Contacts:

Claire Hall, communications advisor, Community Development Group
(04) 495 7299 or 027 284 4228

Blackball Museum of Working Class History
Paul Maunder, (03) 732 4010

Massey University Natural Resource Management Group
Dr John Holland, (06) 350 5565

Tauranga Civic Art Gallery Trust
Richard Arlidge, (07) 578 7933

Crichton Cobbers Youth Club
Mark Nearne, (03) 366 0144