Twelve initiatives in Central from the arts to zumba have each received $1000 from the Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group’s Connecting Communities final round of funding. 

The eighth round put $100,000 towards community-led wellbeing activities and events in the Southern Lakes region over the next few months to help build social connections, mental health support and resilience.

Funding went to 117 groups to facilitate activities that help people connect, look after themselves and each other, and have fun.  

The groups in Central to get funding were; Bannockburn Arts Charitable Trust, Cromwell Community House, Cromwell Menz Shed, Cromwell Football Club, Good Bitches Trust Cromwell, Parent to Parent Group Cromwell, Central Otago Tongan Community, Project Perform/Project Sing Cromwell, Hospitality New Zealand Central Otago branch, Central Otago Kapa Haka, Fine Thyme Theatre Company, and Pasifika Central Otago. 

Since the Connecting Communities fund launched in November 2021, Te Hau Toka has distributed more than half a million dollars to 556 groups in Cromwell, Queenstown, Wānaka, and Te Anau.

With the group’s government funding finishing on June 30, Te Hau Toka chair Adell Cox said thanks to everyone involved.

“Seeing the positivity Connecting Communities has generated in the face of adversity, how much our Southern Lakes communities care about each other, and their innovative ideas to combat local mental health and wellbeing challenges, has been incredibly inspiring and rewarding.”

“We’ve worked on a range of initiatives with community partners and our independent evaluation, which will be released next month, shows that the Connecting Communities has been one of the most successful.

“The key is giving people the power to find their own solutions because they’re best placed to know what their community needs and what works for them.

“[We] believe that this micro-funding model has demonstrated strong proof of concept for organisations across New Zealand looking for community-led programmes to support mental wellbeing and disaster recovery,” Adell said.

Pasifika Central Otago will use the grant for a Zumba dance exercise programme for families and the whole community set to Pacific Island music.  

It includes refreshments and kai, and time for people to connect and make new friendships.

It's particularly good for Pasifika people who are far away from home to connect with each other and their culture.

In Fiordland, one new initiative is the Men’s Muster, a health and wellbeing event in June which organiser Samantha McBride said aims to “build better blokes”.

“We’re keen for men around the region to come and experience this three-day retreat, which combines adventure, personal growth, the chance to connect with like-minded blokes and have a blast together.

“We have a great speaker lineup, including New Zealand racing car driver Greg Murphy; ex-All Black Kees Meeuws; pioneer of NZ’s stand-up comedy scene Willy de Wit; Kobus Venter who will guide participants through financial landscapes; and a range of health experts, personal trainers and coaches.”

A full recipient list of successful applicants is available online.