Communities across the Southern Lakes region will receive a boost this winter with more mental wellbeing initiatives to be funded by the Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group.

Round three of the Connecting Communities funds opens next week, offering Southern Lakes wellbeing groups a further opportunity for support. 

Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group’s fund is designed to support community-led activities and events across Te Anau, Fiordland, Queenstown, Wānaka and Cromwell which encourage wellbeing and community connection. 

Eligible not-for-profit organisations and groups can apply for up to $1,000 (GST inclusive) per round to assist with funding their activity or event. 

There are three funding rounds per year, with earlier rounds completed in March 2022 and December 2021. 

Te Hau Toka say fifty-four not-for-profit groups were supported in the second funding round in March – almost double the number from the first round in December 2021.  

This resulted in more than $50,000 being granted across the Southern Lakes region for mental wellbeing activities or events over the autumn months. 

Round 2 funding recipients included MINT Trust Wānaka school holiday workshop for people with physical and intellectual disabilities, St John weekend drives for older people, Te Anau outdoor playgroups and garden mosaic workshops, and various Matariki community and cultural celebrations.  

Te Hau Toka Group Chair Adell Cox says her team is looking forward to hearing from communities across the Southern Lakes region about what activities or events they think would help boost their mental wellbeing over the winter months.

“Ultimately, the goal of our Connecting Communities funding is to enable people to improve mental wellbeing, connection and resilience in their own communities.”

“Some areas are gearing up for a busy winter ski season and will have a different set of stresses to those communities who just need to get through the quiet months. Each community is different and they’re best placed to know what they need and how they can support each other.”

“We’ve been blown away in every funding round to see such inspiring and innovative ideas coming from all corners of the community so we want to continue do whatever we can to help make them happen,” she says. 

Te Hau Toka say they are looking for activities and events to fund, or contribute to, that:

• Engage positively with the local community
• Support mental wellbeing
• Align with one or more of the Five Ways to Wellbeing and Te Whare Tapa Wha
• Are delivered in Queenstown, Wānaka, Cromwell, or Te Anau/Fiordland
• Can be adapted to comply with any COVID-19 restrictions.

More details about the Connecting Communities fund, including the criteria and how to apply, can be found online at www.southernhealth.nz/tehautoka

The fund opens on Monday 4 July and closes on Thursday 14 July.