Charity set to benefit region

A community foundation aimed at encouraging people to give back for the betterment of Nelson and Tasman is about to be launched.

About 18 months of planning and volunteer work by some local business identities has gone into the Nelson Bays Community Foundation.

Sir Stephen Tindall, founder of the Warehouse and Tindall Foundation, has supported the initiative and will be the guest speaker at its launch on March 30.

The foundation's board of trustees chairman, John Rollston, said the first year was spent researching the idea and gauging support. "We ran feasibility studies through trustees' personal contacts."

As well as Mr Rollston, who is an associate principal at WHK West Yates, the trust includes business consultants David Kerr and Pip Jamieson, Nelson City councillor Aldo Miccio, professional fundraiser Judene Edgar, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology business relationship manager Sharon McGuire, Duncan Cotterill partner Jeremy Barton and Queen's Service Medal recipient Gillian Williams.

The foundation will operate in two ways. People can donate money towards aiding charitable organisations supported by the foundation or have their donation put aside in a separate trust to aid a cause of their own choice.

There are about 12 such foundations throughout New Zealand, the most successful being the Tauranga-based Acorn foundation which has been around eight years and has $4 million to $5m in its endowment fund.

Mr Rollston said all trustees were contributing money and the Tindall Foundation was also pledging $85,000 once the foundation met three key milestones.

Mr Rollston said two wealthy Nelson families had also promised support once the foundation got "some runs on the board".

"It's not only targeting wealthy families.

"We also want to bring in the mid-20s and get them into the habit of giving

"It really is about promoting philanthropy for the betterment of the community."

- © Fairfax NZ News

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