$2.4 million grants highlighted in 2023 Trust Horizon Community Update
Trust Horizon has shared its 2023 Community Update – capturing a range of highlights from another strong year of transformational investment in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
Trust Horizon is a local Charitable Trust, representing Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki, Kawerau, and Kaingaroa Village. The organisation’s vision is to enable people, pride, and prosperity – achieved through grassroots community grants, and high-impact investments that bring lasting positive change.
This year’s Community Update includes the Chairperson and Chief Executive’s report, financial information, and an update from Horizon Energy Group. It also showcases 15 local projects, each made possible with funding from Trust Horizon.
The highlighted projects are wide-ranging – spanning sports, the arts, education, health, and more. However, they represent only a selection of the full suite of grants approved this year. The Trust received a total of 60 applications and approved $2.4 million in funding – a significant increase on last year’s $1.74 million total.
For many of the organisations who received funding, the support has proven transformational. Tihirau Victory Club was one such organisation, receiving $127k for a long-awaited sports field lighting upgrade. “We’re excited to see the difference having a full field set up will make,” says club president, Moana (Mo) Mato. “The upgrade will have a great positive impact in our community.”
In 2022, Trust Horizon also supported Arts Whakatāne to bring the inaugural Light Up Whakatāne Festival to town, which proved a highlight for businesses, residents, and visitors alike. “It was a first for Whakatāne, and we had a tight time-frame of about 4-5 months to pull it off, so to have Trust Horizon’s support from the beginning was fantastic,” says Sam Poots of Arts Whakatāne.
This year, Trust Horizon’s high-impact investing efforts included a $5 million investment in Lodestone Energy. Lodestone is currently constructing two utility-scale solar farms in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. These form part of a network of farms across the North Island, which will combine to create one giant power station – feeding renewable electricity into local networks.
“Trust Horizon is deeply invested in the ongoing success of the Eastern Bay’s people, organisations, and businesses,” says Derek Caudwell, Trust Horizon Chief Executive. “The Community Update is a great opportunity to share what we do with our community, alongside the fantastic work that so many local organisations are doing to enhance our region.”
Trust Horizon Chair, David Glover, also sees the Community Update as an opportunity to thank all those involved in helping the Eastern Bay prosper. “Thank you to our dedicated team of trustees, our staff, and all the diverse local groups and organisations who contribute so much to the community,” says Glover. “We look forward to continuing to work together for the benefit of the Eastern Bay.”
This year, Trust Horizon’s Public Meeting will take place on 26th October from 10-11 am. Open to the general public, the meeting is an opportunity to provide feedback on business plans, audited accounts, annual reports, and other matters. Please email reception@trusthorizon.org.nz if you wish to attend or speak at this year’s meeting.
To read Trust Horizon’s 2023 Community Update in full, download it here. The update will also be distributed in the 27 September Beacon and 28 September Ōpōtiki News.
The 2023 Trust Horizon financial statements can also be found here.