The funding, drawn from the Aoraki Foundations’ Miller General Impact Fund, the South Canterbury Health Endowment Fund and the Bidwill Trust Hospital Foundation, will support a wide range of initiatives aimed at strengthening health, education and community wellbeing.
A recipient that received funding last year and again this year was Plunket — it received funding for two of its programmes.
These were the Giving People Support programme that was piloted locally last year and has been so successful it is being rolled out across New Zealand, and the Swimming programme, which provides free or subsidised swimming and water safety lessons to children under 5 years old.
In a statement Plunket Community Services co-ordinator Louise Haley said "we are so grateful for this continued support so we can provide these essential lifesaving skills for tamariki and whanau in our community".
One of the first-time recipients this year was Road Safety Education Ltd.
It received funding for its RYDA programme which has a mission to prevent death and serious injury on our roads by empowering young people and strengthening communities through road safety education.
Its programme educates 16 to 18-year-old participants and it was anticipated that over 400 year 12 students from South Canterbury would benefit from the RYDA Programme in 2026.
The Miller General Impact Fund was born from the extraordinary generosity of Eric and Queenie Miller, who left their entire estate to benefit South Canterbury.
Their legacy, alongside the contributions of The South Canterbury Health Endowment Fund, established through a seed gift from the former South Canterbury District Health Board and The Bidwill Trust Hospital Foundation, ensures vital services and community initiatives continue to thrive.
Aoraki Foundation Distributions Committee and South Canterbury Health Endowment Fund Committee chairperson Jo Goodhew said "we were well over subscribed with applications this year which shows the hard times that local charities are facing".
"It was a very tough decision for the volunteer committees, but I believe that we have funded the organisations that will make the biggest difference to people in South Canterbury."
The Aoraki Foundation Funding round opens again in September 2026.
AORAKI FOUNDATION FUNDING ROUND
- Miller General Impact Fund — $40,000 distributed.
- The Y Central South Island — $5000.
- Momentum Charitable Trust — $4370.
- Good Bitches Trust — $1500
- Te Aitarakihi Society Incorporated — $5000.
- Royal New Zealand Plunket Trust — $3400
- Timaru Senior Citizens Association (Age Concern South Canterbury) — $1000.
- He Manu Hou Trust — $2000.
- Waimate Parenting Hub — $3500.
- Road Safety Education Limited — $2000.
- South Canterbury Hospice Inc — $5000.
- 15 Squadron Air Training Corps Association of NZ — $3230.
- High Country Medical Trust — $4000.
- South Canterbury Health Endowment Fund and Bidwill Trust — $130,000 distributed.
- Royal New Zealand Plunket Trust — $10,000.
- Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust — $5247.30.
- Wandersearch Canterbury Charitable Trust — $1587.
- Presbyterian Support South Canterbury — $5700.
- South Canterbury Stroke Club — $9000.
- Life Education Trust Mid & South Canterbury — $13,319.70.
- Age Concern South Canterbury — $3000.
- Ronald McDonald House Charities NZ Trust — $10,000.
- Maia Health Foundation — $5000.
- Heart Kids New Zealand — $2000.
- St John Timaru Area Committee — $4000.
- PINC & STEEL Cancer Rehabilitation Foundation — $7500.
- Bowel Cancer Aotearoa Charitable Trust — $3161.
- Cure Kids — $5000.
- From One Mother to Another — $2000.
- Interchurch Council for Hospital Chaplaincy Aotearoa — $5000.
- South Canterbury Hospice Inc — $10,000.
- Motor Neurone Disease NZ Charitable Trust — $4,485.
- South Canterbury Multiple Sclerosis Society — $7000.
- Alzheimers South Canterbury – $17,000.
— Allied Media
