Animal rescue centre Helping Paws Charitable Trust received $5,000 for a new rehabilitation wing at its facility in Northland dedicated to helping injured and endangered blue penguins. The Trust has two locations in Auckland and Northland and primarily rescues and rehabilitates stray kittens and cats.

Wanganui Enterprises Trust received $500 to purchase new hand tools for its Be Ready programme. The programme is tailored for people who have a health condition or disability and provides an opportunity for them to get work experience and learn valuable life skills.

The West Auckland Community Toy Library provides a large variety of toys, puzzles, and games that parents or carers can use for their children. It received $361.15 for new microscope toys that can be used to teach kids science.

Whenua Iti Trust Incorporated received $5,000 to fund replacement mountain bike helmets and sea kayaks. The equipment will be used for their outdoor learning programme which creates outdoor challenges to help kids with personal and social development.

Woolston Brass Incorporated is an iconic performing arts organisation that teaches over 80 children and adults music. It received a grant of $3,400 to purchase 20 plastic cornets to provide a music programme for a Christchurch primary school.

Andrew McMillan received a grant of $4,500 for a mobility dog that will assist him with everyday tasks. The dog will provide Andrew with new-found independence and an increased level of well-being. As well as making his daily tasks easier, he will also gain a lifelong companion.

Auckland Hospital Foundation helps the regions hospitals provide the best possible health outcomes. The foundation received a grant of $5,000 to assist with its Rise Scholarship programme which supports nursing and midwifery students to be successful and complete their qualifications without financial or emotional pressures.

Blue Light Ventures runs leadership programmes for over 100 youth each year at Whenuapai Air Base. It received $2,812 to purchase caps and t-shirt for all the attendees at next year’s programme. The students are nominated by their school or community for demonstrating leadership potential but don’t have the opportunity to further this skill.

Charmaine Brinsdon received a grant of $4,959 to fund the cost of purchasing a custom recumbent trike for her 9-year-old daughter, Prayer. Prayer loves to play with her active older sisters, but her physical and mental disabilities have made this difficult. The new trike will give her more freedom to enjoy everyday life.

The Christchurch School of Music Incorporated offer music classes for everyone from pre-schoolers through to grandparents. CSM received a grant of $1,920.41 to cover the additional cost of two beginner bassoons, called Tenoroons. These instruments will be used by new musicians wanting to learn but are not in a position to afford one.