The 2024 OMCT Grants Awards

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey with
Murray McKenzie from Abbeyfield Dunedin

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
with Stacey Symister from Andersons Bay Kindergarten

Andersons Bay Community Kindergarten is a stand alone community- based early learning service. 

This grant is to purchase Bike Helmets for the children to use while riding their bikes on a daily basis in the playground. They have recently purchased 6 new balance bikes and 1new pedal bike,  and see helmets as a necessity for the children’s safety. While riding bikes the children are doing a lot of learning. They are learning about spatial awareness, balancing, keeping themselves safe and having fun

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
with Jenni Ryland from Can-Inspire – Beads

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
with Connie Deighton from Dive Otakou

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
with Helen Begbie and Esha Carville from Grey Power Otago

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
with Rachel Riddle from Helen Deem Kindergarten

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
with Jackie Clearwater from Hoopers Inlet Hall Committee

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
with Geoff Markby and Michael Turner from Nature School Dunedin

Nature School Dunedin is a one day education programme for
Year 4, 5, 6 students, and is based at Doctors Point. 
The programme runs for 3 days each week during the school terms.
It encourages participants to be passionate about getting outdoors.

Their mission is to use nature as the Third Teacher and to inspire creative hearts, minds and hands, by teaching the children  social, technical and life skills through hands-on experiences out in nature, plus giving them opportunities to achieve personal goals and gain resilience.

This grant was for additional tools for the woodworking bench,
Life jackets,  time-out hammocks to kick back and enjoy nature,
and Ropes and a slack-line to enlarge the confidence course.

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
with Rachelle Moors from North East Valley School

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
with Jen Rodgers and Vicky Caswell from St Clair Primary School

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
with Richard Panting and representatives of the St Kilda Surf Club “Nippers” programme

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
With Paul Milner from Studio2

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
with Rhonda Ross from Te Roopu Tautoko Ki te Tonga

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
with Sybill Ritter from Vanora Equine Therapy

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
with Marie Ilian and  Justin Courtney from Youth RAR Otago

The purpose of YSAR Trust is to train and prepare the next generation of Search and Rescue and Emergency Management practitioners.
With a primary emphasis on skill development, community service principles, and authentic outdoor education.
They are a recognized entity in the S A R and Emergency Management sector since being established in 2005.
Their curriculum includes outdoor education, leadership and management skills, and problem-solving with emerging technologies.

NZ wide, they have trained over 700 students who have integrated into various SAR groups and pursued careers in emergency response.

This Grant is for a battery charger for their radios and a pelican case to keep it safe.

Divisional GM Bruce Pagan presenting Certificate to Connor Purvis recipient of the 2024 Port Chalmers Marine Lodge Bursary

Bruce P presenting Certificate to Rachel Allan from the Dunedin School of Art

Sponsorship grant for the Lunchtime community lecture programme

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
presenting certificate to Gemma Green who attended the Youth Development Course at Pell Forest in December 2023

Dunedin City Counsellor Christine Garey
presenting certificate to  Lucas Walrond who attended the Youth Development Course at Pell Forest in December 2023

Mel Darling, Deputy Chairman acknowledging Jess Puru from the Respiratory Ward Dunedin Hospital recipients of the Otago District Oxygen Concentrator Project

One of the beds and wheelchairs and the grateful occupational therapists, Cath and Maria of the Otago Hospice.

Just wanted to share in our excitement.  The chiller that your trust kindly paid for has arrived.  All shiny and new.
Our team leader Jollene and foodbank co-ordinator Marilyn are ecstatic.

The Central Otago presentation function :

Nick Langley (OMCT Central Chairperson) presents this year's grant to the Alexandra Districts Youth Group (Alexandra Branch).

The recipients are : Courtney Laulu, Nathan Zimmerman, (Nick), Tash Kane and Marley Ferguson.

Murray Gray (Lodge Dunstan), Rory Butler (Sec/Tres) and Nick Langley (Chairperson) admire the special cushions held by Jo Ireland of the Alexandra Senior Citizens group which received a grant this year.

Nick Langley (right) admired the new saddle which the Central Otrago Riding for the Disabled group purchased with a 2024 OMCT Community Grant. Lynda Gray is the head of the group.