Christmas prep comes early with community funding

The jingle bells will be ringing again this Christmas after the September meetings of all three Far North community boards had a distinctly Christmas theme.

Due to the local elections, the September board meetings were the last for Bay of Islands -Whangaroa and Kaikohe - Whangaroa. one more meeting is planned for Te Hiku Community Board on Tuesday 30 September.

Organisations planning Christmas events and street parades for their local communities had to get their Santas in a row quickly this year to get funding applications in earlier than usual.

Te Hiku Community Board ensured two local groups will be keeping the Christmas fairy lights twinkling. The community of Te Hāpua secured funding to hire a bouncy castle for their Christmas parade and Whānau Fun Day, while Pompallier Catholic School will be using its grant to stage a school production based on Christmas and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star at the Te Ahu Centre in Kaitāia.

In Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Ward, three business associations received $5000 each to host seasonal celebrations to draw in families and visitors in Kerikeri, Paihia and Kawakawa.

Kaikohe Hokianga Community Board also supported groups organising festive events in Kaikohe, Rāwene and Ōhaewai.

Funding was also supplied to non-festive events, SPCA received funding to support the de-sexing of animals in the Far North, while Oho Wairua Journey Charitable Trust was successful in their application to hold waka ama safety workshops supplying land and on-water training to all ages.

Visit the Far North community board decisions webpage to see more details of the decisions made in September.