Youth trust delivers funds to local youth

More than $20,000 has been distributed to 28 applicants as part of the Bruce Grant Youth Trust’s latest funding round. The number of applicants and money granted are the most ever in the Trust’s 14 year history.

Chairman Andrew Brinsley put the increase in applications down to two reasons. Firstly the Trust’s profile had lifted in the past year, particularly since its high profile involvement in the American Express Winter Festival, and secondly the growing needs of an expanding community. He said the issue now facing the Trust was sourcing enough funds to meet the demands of a higher number of applicants.

“In this funding round we gave away nearly half of our total funds. This means we need to get some serious fundraising underway to continue supporting the youth of our district.”

Receiving funding in the latest round were athletes who were reaching national and international levels, including several the Trust has supported for some years.

They include Erin Astin, a Sting development team member, whose goal is to become a Silver Fern, Ben McLachlan who is a top flight tennis player aiming to win an Under 18 Grand Slam, free skier Matt Soundy who wants to be ranked in the top 20 slopestyle skiers in the world, alpine ski racers Adam Barwood, Taylor Rapley, Harriet Miller-Brown and Andrew Wylie and snowboarder Hamish Bagley who are all aiming for the 2014 Russia Winter Olympics, free skier Mitchey Greig who is working towards the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Ice hockey players, equestrians, basketballer, multisport athlete, rugby player, karate practitioner and an artist were also represented in the successful applicants.

Mr Brinsley said the Trust had several ideas for on going fundraising activities but was keen to hear from anyone who was keen to work with a charity to support Wakatipu Youth.

“We’re seeing more and more demand and it’s our goal to support youth in whatever field their talents lie. There are not many charities that encourage individuals to strive for their goals. We believe this work is important.”

Applications for the next funding round open in [April 2010].


The full list of recipients is as follows:
Luke Aston – Basketball
Erin Aston – Netball
Anna Nesbit – Equestrian
Charles Miller-Brown - Equestrian
Harriet Miller-Brown - Skiing
Emily Good – Equestrian
Holly Sinclair - Equestrian
Adam Barwood – Skiing
Matt Soundy – Freeskiing
Taylor Rapley – Skiing
Andrew Wylie – Skiing
Melissa Jones - Skiing
Hamish Bagley - Snowboarding
Mitchey Greig – Skiier Cross
Rebecca Hasselman - Art
Brett Anderson - Rugby
Harry James - Tennis
Ben McLachlan - Tennis
Connor Harrison – Ice hockey
Mitchell Frear – Ice Hockey
Cameron Frear – Ice Hockey
Lachlan Frear – Ice Hockey
Amelia Kinnaird – Triathlon
Anna Leat – Karate

Grants were also made to the following organisations and clubs:
Queenstown Hockey Club
Queenstown Swimming Club
Wakatipu High School Mixed Tennis Team


About the Bruce Grant Youth Trust
The Bruce Grant Youth Trust was set up in 1995 to preserve the legacy of Bruce Grant, a Queenstown adventurer who died after reaching the summit of K2 in the Himalayas on August 13, 1995. An Olympic skier, mountaineering great, extreme sportsman and extraordinary individual, Bruce Grant was a Queenstown adventurer whose special attitude to life touched a community and continues to provide inspiration to local young people.

The Bruce Grant Youth Trust is supported by the American Express Queenstown Winter Festival and the Polaris Trust and many local businesses including Niche Design in Queenstown, McDowall Print in Invercargill and Whitcoulls Queenstown. All money raised by the Trust is distributed. All Trust administration is carried out by the Trustees on a volunteer basis.

The Trust distributes funds twice a year to recognise the efforts of young people who display a similar passion for life and desire to achieve. In the years since it was established, the Bruce Grant Memorial Youth Trust has distributed over $250,000 to the young people of the Wakatipu.


Further information: www.brucegrantyouthtrust.org.nz