October 2023 Mazda Foundation recipients

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Ailish Roughan

A home hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber will be life changing for seven-year-old Gabrielle Fergus who has severe Dandy Walker malformation. It will significantly help to relieve the symptoms of the respiratory disability and the benefits will be ongoing. Grant received = $3,000

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Angel Ginty

This funding will be used to purchase a pizza oven to help Angel explore cooking and to learn basic life skills. Angel is a young woman who is hearing impaired and autistic who finds joy in cooking. The pizza oven will allow her a safe space to practice these skills and build communication and common interests with her whānau and wider community. Grant received = $798.98

Mazda Foundation recipient October 2023 - Asthma NZ

Asthma NZ

Pulmonary Disorder) for 52 years. Its project supplying schools with asthma emergency kits helps schools to manage and treatment asthma among their students. Grant received = $1,790

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Christchurch School Of Music Incorporated

The Christchurch School of Music (CSM) is a community-focused institution in Ōtautahi Christchurch, dedicated to music education and cultural enrichment. They offer music lessons, community events, scholarships, ensemble programmes, and support for emerging talent. Seeking funding to sustain and expand these initiatives, CSM aims to make music education and cultural enrichment accessible to a broader audience. In particular, the funding will be used to replace stolen music stands so they can continue on their mission for ‘Music for All’. Grant received = $2,500

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Gillian Dennis

Gillian Dennis is passionate about wildlife conservation with a special passion for native bats and their conservation. The grant will be used to purchase specialised equipment to monitor pekapeka/long-tailed bats (Chalinolobus tuberculatus) who are a threatened species, ranked as ‘Nationally Critical’. Grant received = $3,151

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Hayley Harrison

Poppy loves playing guitar and attending lessons, however due to a genetic condition, holding the guitar is challenging. The funding will be for an adaptive guitar that can be used with switches. This will not only allow her to engage in music lessons outside of the classroom but also a range of music within the curriculum.

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Hospice Waikato Trust

Hospice Waikato Trust has a vision of “Living Every Moment” and empowering staff to find innovative ways to support their patients and whānau. The funding will be used to purchase a mobile workstation for its in-patient unit. Grant received = $1,998

Mazda Foundation recipient October 2023 - Juliet Hawkeswood

Juliet Hawkeswood

Tiritiri Matangi has long been an example of what can be achieved when the community works together to restore an ecosystem, remove pest species, and re-introduce threatened wildlife. The funding provided will help in the acquisition of a specialist bird-watching telescope and accompanying tripod, to aid in the foundation’s conservation of declining bird life. Grant received = $1,790

Mazda Foundation recipient October 2023 - Manta Watch New Zealand Charitable Trust

Manta Watch New Zealand Charitable Trust

Manta Watch New Zealand Charitable Trust advocate for Aotearoa New Zealand’s oceanic ecosystems through research, conservation, education, and collaboration. The grant will be used to purchase SCUBA equipment for a new manta ray research project. Grant received = $2,377.99

Mazda Foundation recipient October 2023 - Natasha Lydiard

Natasha Lydiard

Natasha Lydiard’s grant is to fund an ADNZ Assistance Dog named Kowhai for Harry, a 5-year-old boy with congenital myasthenia. Kowhai will help Harry manage his medical condition safely and increase his interactions and participation with friends, family, and the wider community. Grant received = $5,000

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Penelope Scott

Purchasing a specialist trike will provide Penelope Scott with greater mobility in the community and help make physical activity accessible. Grant received = $3,273

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Phil Dobson

Phil Dobson received a grant to help assist with the purchase of an adapted disabled trike for a 13-year-old disabled boy with cerebral palsy-type symptoms and outcomes. Grant received = $4,000

Mazda Foundation recipient October 2023 - Rebecca Winton

Rebecca Winton

Muddy Toes Playgroup is a community-driven initiative that promotes child-led play in nature. The funding will provide comprehensive first aid training for two facilitators to ensure there is a first aid trained-session leader present at each of their weekly playgroup sessions. Grant received = $470

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Ruby Nepe

This grant will be used to provide and make possible opportunities for children with physical disabilities who come from impoverished or financially challenging backgrounds, to participate, access and engage in physical activities within their communities. Specifically, this funding will purchase a trike for Ruby Nepe to enable her to join her friends and family in outdoor activities. Grant received = $660

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South Canterbury Hospice Incorporated

The South Canterbury Hospice will purchase new office chairs for its nurses to support them to provide compassionate care for all those experiencing life-limiting illness. Grant received = $1,695

Mazda Foundation recipient October 2023 - Te Pou Theatre Trust

Te Pou Theatre Trust

The Christchurch School of Music (CSM) is a community-focused institution in Ōtautahi Christchurch, dedicated to music education and cultural enrichment. They offer music Established in 2015, Te Pou Theatre is the only Māori-led professional performing arts venue in Aotearoa and the first independent indigenous performing arts venue in the world. They aim to broaden people’s access to the arts and to deepen their engagement with tikanga Māori. The grant will be used to invest in a suite of new in-house lighting equipment to be used in Te Pou Theatre’s main auditorium. Grant received = $1,574.78

Mazda Foundation recipient October 2023 - The Good Carbon Farm Limited

The Good Carbon Farm Limited

The Good Carbon Farm Limited stores carbon safely by upcycling it into biochar. This is then given free to schools and community organisations for use in horticulture and conservation projects. The grant will enable them to make a large quantity of biochar using surplus forestry slash and other green waste available in Auckland and provide associated training and resources to users of the biochar. Grant received = $5,000

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Totara Hospice

Totara Hospice’s vision is to honour living and dignify dying, ensuring terminally ill patients and their whānau in the South and Southeast Auckland communities receive top quality palliative care. The funding will be used to purchase two lightweight manual wheelchairs and pressure-relieving cushions to enable patients to participate in daily activities. Grant received = $1,272

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Animapuni Silingi

Animapuni Silingi received a grant of $770 to purchase a recliner chair for her 19-year-old daughter, Fiona, who has cerebral palsy. This chair will help Fiona to live a more normal life and provide help for moving within their home.

Mazda Foundation recipient October 2023 - Ashton Reiser

Ashton Reiser

Ashton Reiser received a grant of $2,656.50 to develop an accurate method for detecting pest fish in shallow lakes and ponds. The process is part of Ashton’s university master’s thesis and uses environmental DNA (eDNA).

Mazda Foundation recipient October 2023 - Bee Awesome Limited

Bee Awesome Limited

Bee Awesome Limited uses outdoor learning, bees and the environment to teach tamariki about sustainability. It received a grant of $3,657.75 for new equipment as the organisation grows to meet increased demand.

March 2023 Mazda Foundation recipients

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Animapuni Silingi

Animapuni Silingi received a grant of $770 to purchase a recliner chair for her 19-year-old daughter, Fiona, who has cerebral palsy. This chair will help Fiona to live a more normal life and provide help for moving within their home.

Mazda Foundation recipient October 2023 - Ashton Reiser

Ashton Reiser

Ashton Reiser received a grant of $2,656.50 to develop an accurate method for detecting pest fish in shallow lakes and ponds. The process is part of Ashton’s university master’s thesis and uses environmental DNA (eDNA).

Mazda Foundation recipient October 2023 - Bee Awesome Limited

Bee Awesome Limited

Bee Awesome Limited uses outdoor learning, bees and the environment to teach tamariki about sustainability. It received a grant of $3,657.75 for new equipment as the organisation grows to meet increased demand.

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Bridget Alice McLaren

Bridget McLaren received a grant of $5,000 to assist in the training and upkeep of an assistance dog to help her cope with cerebral palsy. The dog will support her with basic everyday tasks and ensure she lives as normal life as possible.

Mazda Foundation recipient March 2023 - Bright Foundation

Bright Foundation

The Bright Foundation works directly with schools and their stakeholders to help low-decile primary school students. The foundation received a grant of $4,695 to fund 100 food parcels for children and their families struggling with the high cost of living.

Mazda Foundation recipient March 2023 - Christchurch School of Music Incorporated

Christchurch School of Music Incorporated

The Christchurch School of Music is one of New Zealand’s oldest musical establishments where thousands of Kiwis have found their passion for music. The school received $3,390 for replacement parts for their instruments.

Mazda Foundation recipient March 2023 - Graeme Dingle Foundation Western Bay of Plenty

Graeme Dingle Foundation Western Bay of Plenty

The Graeme Dingle Foundation received $5,000 for its Project K programme which pairs up year 10 students with a mentor. The programme uses outdoor activities to build the students’ self-confidence as well as teaching them valuable life skills.

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Megan Aramoana

Megan Aramoana received $2,883.26 for her child who suffers from Type 1 Diabetes. The grant will be used to purchase new glucose sensors that can monitor her child continuously which allows the family to have a higher quality of life.

Mazda Foundation recipient March 2023 - Mobility Assistance Dogs Trust

Mobility Assistance Dogs Trust

Auckland’s Mobility Assistance Dogs Trust received $4,000 to purchase a puppy that will join a new family for twelve months. The Trust has been training dogs to support Kiwis who suffer from a disability since 2008, helping hundreds of New Zealanders.

Mazda Foundation recipient March 2023 - Rebecca Poad

Rebecca Poad

Rebecca Poad received a grant of $2,219.50 for an additional set of restraints on two powerchairs for her sons Quintin and Joshua. The boys are diagnosed with Nablus Mask, a very rare condition that has caused the boys to have hearing, vision, and speech problems.

Mazda Foundation recipient March 2023 - Rotorua Primary Young Engineers Club

Rotorua Primary Young Engineers Club

Rotorua Primary Young Engineers Club received $2,050 to fund a new competition robot kit. The club and their new robot will compete at the VEX IQ Slap shot competition against other students from around the world.

Mazda Foundation recipient March 2023 - The Crescendo Trust of Aotearoa

The Crescendo Trust of Aotearoa

The Crescendo Trust of Aotearoa is a sound recording and music production studio based in Auckland. The trust runs several mentoring and wellbeing programmes that provide students with the life skills they need for personal development. It received $5,000 for new music equipment to help expand its programmes.

Mazda Foundation recipient March 2023 - The Helping Paws Charitable Trust

The Helping Paws Charitable Trust

Animal rescue centre Helping Paws Charitable Trust received $5,000 for a new rehabilitation wing at its facility in Northland dedicated to helping injured and endangered blue penguins. The Trust has two locations in Auckland and Northland and primarily rescues and rehabilitates stray kittens and cats.

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Wanganui Enterprises Trust

Wanganui Enterprises Trust received $500 to purchase new hand tools for its Be Ready programme. The programme is tailored for people who have a health condition or disability and provides an opportunity for them to get work experience and learn valuable life skills.

Mazda Foundation recipient March 2023 - West Auckland Community Toy Library

West Auckland Community Toy Library

The West Auckland Community Toy Library provides a large variety of toys, puzzles, and games that parents or carers can use for their children. It received $361.15 for new microscope toys that can be used to teach kids science.

Mazda Foundation recipient March 2023 - Whenua Iti Trust Incorporated

Whenua Iti Trust Incorporated

Whenua Iti Trust Incorporated received $5,000 to fund replacement mountain bike helmets and sea kayaks. The equipment will be used for their outdoor learning programme which creates outdoor challenges to help kids with personal and social development.

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Woolston Brass Incorporated

Woolston Brass Incorporated is an iconic performing arts organisation that teaches over 80 children and adults music. It received a grant of $3,400 to purchase 20 plastic cornets to provide a music programme for a Christchurch primary school.

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