Volunteers at the Masterton Foodbank. The Foodbank received a grant from the Trust in October 2024.

In the last financial year, the WBS Charitable Trust donated $141,000 to over 77 individuals and organisations across the region. Recipients all focussed their efforts on projects or initiatives that benefited the Wairarapa.

Chair of the WBS Charitable Trust, John Booth, said grants and donations are key to WBS’s purpose of helping its community prosper. Once again, he is looking forward to seeing the line-up of applications for the October funding round.

‘One thing that surprises me each year on the Trust is the sheer number of groups in our community doing good,’ said John. ‘Each funding round brings some familiar and many new groups to our attention. Our toughest task as Trustees is always to decide where to allocate the Trust’s funds – most applicants seem more than worthy.’

John thanked WBS investors and borrowers for their support, enabling the Trust to make its grants. ‘And kudos to all the volunteers out their making our region the great place to live that it is.’

Anyone keen to apply for funding from the WBS Charitable Trust can do so through a live link on our community funding page: Applications are open from 1 to 31 October.

The Trust looks to support applications that fall within the following categories:

• Art and culture
• Sports and recreation
• Environment and sustainability
• Education
• Community support