Recipients of the Tairāwhiti wellbeing investments included Te Runanga o Turanganui a Kiwa $180,000; Surf Lifesaving New Zealand Incorporated $153,852; Huringa Pai Charitable Trust $89,000; Ronald McDonald House Charities NZ Trust $80,003; Women"s Native Tree Project Trust $71,250 and Life Education Trust Gisborne, East Coast & Wairoa Inc $20,000.

Applications were assessed on the basis of their alignment with the Trust's wellbeing framework He Rangitapu, He Tohu Ora. The wellbeing framework assesses integrity, equity and sustainability which are at the core of the framework. This leads to the muka which represent wellbeing outcomes under the categories of economy, knowledge, communities, cultural identity, relationships and environment.

Trust Tairāwhiti trustee Alisa Cuthbert said the latest distributions by the Trust were a significant investment in the community and would have wide-reaching benefits.

Te Runanga o Turanganui a Kiwa will receive $180,000 over three years towards Waitangi Day and Matariki events. From 2022 "Waitangi Day Out" will be held at the Awapuni Soundshell Gisborne and will focus on nationhood, duel heritage and what it means to be community. "Matariki at the Clock" will be held in June/July this year and will be a music event in the main street similar to the event held last year. With Waitangi Day and Matariki now nationally recognised events, having localised celebrations will ensure Tairāwhiti talent, history and stories of significance can be shared.

"The opportunity for Tairāwhiti to acknowledge these significant occasions through a Tairāwhiti lens helps build a more local understanding and inclusive community for future generations," Ms Cuthbert says.

A grant of $153,852 will go to Surf Lifesaving New Zealand Incorporated. This will be distributed over three years and used towards the Gisborne Surf Lifesaving Community Development Officer role, the regional Lifeguard service and beach education throughout the rohe.

The approval of $89,000 to Huringa Pai Charitable Trust will contribute to positive wellbeing outcomes. From the delivery of this programme, it is known that if whanau are given tools, knowledge and support in a way that considers tikanga and kawa, in a caring and helpful manner to reach healthier habits, they will continue to be healthy. The money will go towards the Trust's community costs, the Kaiawhina role and some of the operational costs.

A distribution of $80,003 will go to Ronald McDonald House Charities NZ Trust towards the ongoing costs of the accommodation facility for the specific purpose of hosting whanau from Tairāwhiti requiring hospital treatment in Auckland. Approximately 4,600 families are supported through RMHC each years with three percent of these (138) whanau from Tairāwhiti. Financial, emotional, and physical challenges can be alleviated allowing a more stable, supportive environment for an unwell child and their whanau to gain strength.

One Gisborne family, the Lloyd-Hihis, have stayed at Ronald McDonald House numerous times over many years. Mother of five, Claire Lloyd-Hihi said it was like a home away from home.

"It was good to be with other families in similar circumstances and having the whole family together was invaluable."

Claire and her family appreciated the dinners cooked for them by volunteers and the onsite Ronald McDonald House school that was available for her other children so she could focus on her sick baby.

With the strong alignment to the Taiao/Environment wellbeing outcome, a $71,250 distribution has been approved for the Women"s Native Tree Project Trust towards the ongoing implementation and delivery of tree planting in Tairawhiti. This is made up of $16,000 a year for three years and an additional amount of $23,250 which will be used to conduct research to understand the impact of the WNTPT work undertaken in the last 30 years.

Another $20,000 was approved for the Life Education Trust Gisborne, East Coast and Wairoa Inc which will be used for the delivery of their service to Tairāwhiti schools. For many years the Life Education Trust Gisborne has delivered drug and alcohol awareness, prevention and safety programmes which contribute towards enhancing matauranga in a holistic form amongst our communities. The Trust recognised the importance of equity in ensuring everyone has access to this programme. This meant the mobile classroom was able to get to all schools in the region.

Recipients of the Tairawhiti wellbeing investments for less than $10,000 are Parafed and Eastland Tri Club which will receive $1000 to run a small community triathlon.

Applicants must be able to show they meet the criteria set out in the wellbeing framework. Applications that did not adequately meet the framework requirements were declined." The next round of funding applications closes on March 19."