A funding boost will soon benefit three Central Otago projects.

The Otago Community Trust's March grant approvals have been announced, providing a welcomed boost to cultural heritage, arts and improving the facilities at a local school.

Alexandra's Central Cinema Inc will get a $12,000 grant, Cromwell Primary School $20,000 and the Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust $50,000.

Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust's (OGHT) grant will help with the purchase of the old methodist church in Cromwell, ensuring it can continue to be used as the office of the trust and as a community space.

The OGHT has been based in the building for about 20 years and the group's members have put a lot of resources and love into the building.

OGHT treasurer Odette Hopgood-Bride said it had been a long process over five years to get to a point where the trust could buy the church.

"We wanted to buy it and keep it in local hands, heritage hands . . . earthquake strengthening is the next thing to come."

She said the trust had recently applied for the building to be categorised with a heritage listing and therefore protected by Heritage New Zealand.

"Our little church has a big chunk of local history that comes along with it . . . [we want] it to be a community space and [it] can be hired by anyone too," she said.

On Sunday April 17 OGHT is having a birthday party for the church marking it's 131st birthday.

Odette said there would be family friendly fun on site including $10 gold panning and gold coin donations for house and cart rides and Devonshire teas.

She said the proceeds would go towards what she is calling 'the church roof fund' - to repair the roof, which is leaking.

The cinema plans to use the money to assist with the cost of developing and refurbishing the theatre's foyer.

Central Cinema Inc. chair Karin Bower said she was "over the moon and really excited" to be able to get the refurbishment plans underway.

"Most of the work will be done in late May. We hope to open the new facility in late June to coincide with the cinema's 15 year screening anniversary."

The money for the project has also been raised by funding from the Central Lakes Trust, Aotearoa Foundation and Pub Charity.

There are two aspects to the work, firstly a secure box office will be developed to house ticketing, screening and food and beverage all set up.

Before now it had to be set up prior to and then taken down after each film by the volunteers who help to run the cinema.

Secondly, a revamp is planned for the meeting room, including new curtains and furniture.

"There will be space for sofas, chairs and lamps to bring ambience into the room," Karin said.

She hoped movie goers would come early, buy a coffee and chat to their friends before and after screenings.

The grant to Cromwell Primary School will assist with the cost of audiovisual equipment and shade sails.

The sails will cover the playground that is also used by the school holiday programme, so the benefit will extend to the wider community using the play equipment.

Large scale capital projects that will benefit broader Otago communities featured in the March funding round of Otago Community Trust (OCT), with the South Otago region benefitting by $2.8 million.

On the back of recent news that $2.2 million had been approved to support the Clutha Community Hub Charitable Trust, OCT announced a $500k grant to support the Clutha Gold Trail Charitable Trust, along with a $120k grant to assist with the development of a new community playground at Waihola.

OCT also gave $65,000 to Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust.

Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust chair, Martin Dippie said the Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter Service was in the process of replacing rescue and medical equipment.

The night vision goggles, dual visor helicopter helmets, a corpuls monitor/defibrillators, and handheld radios will be upgraded and replaced thereby ensuring key equipment is up to date and improving safety.

“The grant helps us to future-proof our equipment carried on the helicopters.

"The service provides critical help and is heavily relied on by all communities in the lower South Island, and it is especially critical for people located in rural or isolated areas.”

Trust chief executive, Barbara Bridger said OCT gave a total of $3,167,718.50 to 20 community organisations in March 2022, which marks the end of the financial year for the trust and brings the grants approved for the year to almost $10.5 million. 

“From 1 April 2022 all organisations or community groups who received funding over the last 12 months are eligible to re-apply. We do acknowledge it is a challenging time for our communities and community groups and our key message is that we remain open for funding requests and are here to help,” Barbara said.