01 October 2012
Thirteen local schools, clubs and Marae have been announced as the winners of Auckland Airport’s third annual Gold Medal Awards.
Aimed at developing healthy young people in the Auckland region through sport and fitness, the Gold Medal Awards provide a total sponsorship fund of $25,000 to the successful recipients.
The awards, which are in their third year, were open to sports focused organisations that needed a helping hand to keep running or to achieve their goals.
After receiving over 100 applications, Auckland Airport has officially announced the winners, who each received their share of the $25,000 at a ceremony held at the Airport Marae, Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa Marae, last Friday.
Charles Spillane, Auckland Airport general manager of corporate affairs, was at the ceremony and said, “Our Gold Medal Awards recognise the important role that sport can play in helping to form the lives of young people and we have seen outstanding results from our 2011 Gold Medal Awards, with all of our winners experiencing very real benefits from our sponsorship.”
“It is fantastic that we can contribute again this year to the health and well-being of our community through the 2012 Gold Medal Awards.”
This year’s Gold Medal Award winners will use the funding for everything from buying targets and arrows for an archery programme to purchasing a new waka ama (Polynesian outrigger canoe).
Papatoetoe Sports and Community Charitable Trust (PSCCT) was one of the lucky organisations to receive a Gold Medal Award. The Trust will be using the funding to pay for essential sporting equipment for children in hardship situations.
Justin Leydesdorff, General Manager at PSCCT, said “This funding will form part of our Choose Sport Initiative which is aimed at providing financial assistance to children and young people to take part in club sport who would otherwise not participate because of financial hardship.”
“Sports clubs can play a key role in the development of our young people, meaning the contribution from Auckland Airport will help to positively influence the lives of some children which is pretty powerful!”
Other recipients of the Gold Medal Awards included Special Olympics Mangere who are set to buy new athletics equipment and Manurewa High School who will be purchasing new camping tents for outdoor adventure pursuit activities.
The full list of Gold Medal winners is:
Te Tira Hou Sports and Cultural Club (Mangere), Special Olympics Mangere, Papatoetoe Sports and Community Charitable Trust, Te Motu a Rai Roa Water Sports (Waiheke Island), YMCA Jordan Recreation and Fitness Centre in Onehunga, Manurewa Intermediate School Sports Academy, Waitakere BMX Club Inc, Hunua School (Papakura), Te Hao Pakeke o Kohukohunui (Papakura), Manurewa High School, XLR8 Junior Touch, South Auckland Seventh Day Adventist School, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Maungaronga (Mt Albert).
Representatives from Auckland Airport and from the organisations that were Gold Medal winners
Ends
For further information, please contact:
Kate Thompson
+64 21 385 446