Hammersley Park School in Christchurch, has received $7,200 of funding from the Mazda Foundation to take a class of students on a camping trip.

The school is planning to take a class of year five and six children to the Golden Bay area on a camping trip at the end of the school year. The trip will expose the students to a new rural environment and a range of activities which they can get involved in and enjoy. Staff hope the trip will bring the students some relief after a stressful year.

After the Canterbury earthquakes, some of the students are still living in affected homes or temporary accommodation in increasingly frustrating circumstances. Many have lost family members and friends through relocation and migration to other parts of New Zealand.

“We are delighted to be taking the students on a camping trip after a turbulent year. Only two of our 20 students have been further than 30 kilometres from the Christchurch area so it will be great to show them somewhere new and give them a break away,” Says, Brent Egerton, Principal of Hammersley Park School.

The students will camp in a rural environment and get involved in a range of activities which will educate them on nature and the environment.

The Bradburn family have received $7,995 to purchase a spa pool, for their 19-month-old son, Caleb, who suffers from Angelman syndrome, a rare neuro – genetic disorder.

The disorder is caused when a section of chromosome 15 is missing. Although it is only a small part of the gene that is lost, it causes delays in development, including problems with walking and balance and a lack of speech ability.

“Caleb developed severe reflux at three weeks old and he had trouble feeding and sleeping. By 11 months old we were concerned because he was unable to sit unsupported, lie on his stomach for long periods of time and was not babbling. When he was 13 months old he was diagnosed with the rare condition, Angelman syndrome,” says, Gemma Bradburn, Caleb’s mother.

“Since his diagnosis Caleb sees a speech therapist and a physiotherapist regularly, who help him to improve his speech and language development.

“Recently we stayed in a hotel which had a spa pool, Caleb had so much fun in the bath and he appeared more relaxed afterwards. It prompted me to start looking at hydrotherapy as another form of support for Caleb.”

Caleb’s new spa pool will help him to relax his muscles and improve muscle tone and circulation. It is hoped that the warm water and hydrotherapy will create an enjoyable experience for Caleb and encourage his development.

Angelman syndrome occurs in approximately one in 15,000 births and there is currently no cure available, but some of the symptoms can be alleviated through hydrotherapy.

Assistance Dogs New Zealand provides suitably trained service dogs primarily to assist children disabled through autism.

The not-for-profit organisation received a $1,035 grant from the Mazda Foundation to purchase equipment for the training and maintenance of the dogs, including harnesses, leads, brushes and toys.

Julie Hancox, Assistance Dogs New Zealand’s trainer, says, “Assistance dogs enrich the lives of people with disabilities by helping them to live independently, enabling mobility, and providing companionship. In many cases, the addition of an assistance dog to these children’s lives has encouraged benefits beyond the expected, including improved verbal skills and an increased capacity for empathy and love.”

Each assistance dog goes through a comprehensive training programme, which takes approximately six months. The training includes a temperament assessment, basic obedience, social behaviour, home behaviour and specific task training. The equipment needed for the dogs during this training is essential – having adequate equipment supports the dogs in their training and helps to enable positive outcomes for the children and their families.

A $7,500 grant has been donated to Tanya and Paul Fong to enable them to purchase an insulin pump for their son Kambell, thanks to the Mazda Foundation.

Kambell, aged eight, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 19 months old. Kambell needs constant monitoring as his blood sugar levels are very unstable and fluctuate frequently. These blood sugar fluctuations can cause Kambell to suffer from mood swings and outbursts which make it hard for him to maintain friends.

“As a mum, I am always watching the clock making sure he is eating on time and receiving his 5-6 insulin injections each day,” says Tanya Fong.

“The insulin pump will help Kambell live a more normal life and participate in activities with friends, such as camping and playing sports. We will no longer have to keep Kambell on a strict routine or wake him up in the middle of the night or early in the morning to give him an injection.”

In 2007, Tanya and Paul Fong used their savings to start a charitable organisation called Youth Quest: a character mentoring programme-based organisation, designed to practically and effectively work with young people and their families within their communities. As a result of this commitment, they are unable to afford the full cost of the insulin pump, as well as the considerable ongoing costs to purchase consumables for the pump.

The Mazda Foundation has donated $4,150 to The Photoplayer Restoration Trust, to begin the restoration of New Zealand’s only known photoplayer.

A photoplayer is a musical instrument built between 1913 and 1927, specifically for playing during silent movies. The instrument consists of a piano, tambourine, drums and organ pipes, and also includes sound effects needed to accompany any silent movie.

The Mazda Foundation grant will go towards the purchase and transportation, from America to New Zealand, of original Wurlitzer photoplayer plans. These plans will be used to help restore New Zealand’s only remaining photoplayer.

Don Paynter of the Photoplayer Restoration Trust, says, “We believe that the history, uniqueness, and ties to the cinema in New Zealand make this photoplayer an instrument of national importance and a treasure that needs to be preserved for future generations.”

When the restoration work is complete, the photoplayer will be stored in the Deluxe Theatre, Opotiki, and will sing again during the Opotiki Silent Film Festival and other civic occasions.

The photoplayer has been registered with the Ministry of Culture and Heritage as an Object of Significant National Importance.

Napier Group Riding for the Disabled has received $6,269 from the Mazda Foundation to cover the not-for-profit organisation’s ACC levy charge.

Napier Group Riding for the Disabled was established in 1981 and currently has over 100 riders every week making the organisation one of the largest Riding for the Disabled groups in New Zealand.

Carolyn Cox, Napier Group Riding for the Disabled’s Fundraiser, says, “Riding for the Disabled is so much more than ‘pony rides’ – which is a common misconception that the organisation faces. Equine therapy can provide so many physical and intellectual improvements.

“Riding can improve a person’s walking ability; The movement of the horse causes the rider’s pelvis, trunk and shoulder girdle to react in ways very similar to those produced when a person walks. The horse is also invaluable in providing the feeling of proper stride length.

“There is also a fantastic therapeutic effect from horses that calms people with intellectual disabilities who may not otherwise have any social interaction, not to mention the feeling of elation and pride that our riders, big and small, get from interacting with such magnificent animals.”

The organisation relies totally on the goodwill and generosity of others for all their costs, so the Mazda Foundation grant will provide much needed help.

Henderson Intermediate School has received a $2,500 grant from the Mazda Foundation to purchase new musical instruments for the student members of the West City Junior Band Programme.

The West City Junior Band Programme is a government funded initiative, but the purchasing and maintenance of musical instruments is covered by the schools involved.

The students in this programme perform with the West City Senior Band at special events throughout the year and also play for the RSA Christmas Parade in Henderson.

Henderson Intermediate School is well renowned for the students’ musical talents and the emphasis placed on developing students’ abilities in the Arts.

Principal Dale, of Henderson Intermediate School, says, “I firmly believe the new instruments will provide a tremendous boost for the students and will take them to new standards of performance. We have the opportunity and potential to create a band of ‘excellence’ if we have the full complement of instruments.

“With the injection of these new musical resources, our students will have greater opportunities to participate in inter-school music competitions, workshops, festivals and exchanges, providing a great platform for the students to share their musical talents with the community.”

The Mazda Foundation has donated $8307 to Arohanui Special School to purchase new sensory equipment for its students.

Arohanui Special School caters for students aged 5 – 21 years who have intellectual disabilities, including those with profound and multiple disabilities.

Trudi Brocas, Assistant Principal at Arohanui Special School, says, “Our students require very high levels of support to access learning, which involves developmentally appropriate programmes, encouraging sensory exploration, problem solving, and communication.”

Students at Arohanui Special School learn about the environment and themselves through the senses of vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch and movement. The school aims to provide a stimulating multi-sensory curriculum for all its students.

Students at Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Otepou, Tauranga, will be looking their best at the Te Mana Kuratahi Kapahaka – national primary schools kapahaka competition in Whangarei, when they wear their new kapahaka uniforms, funded by a Mazda Foundation grant.

The $8,250 grant will allow the school children to replace their current uniforms, which are over 30 years old, with new items from head to toe.

“The competition is a fantastic opportunity for our students to learn responsibility and self pride by representing the school at a national level,” says Seilena Phillips-Edwards, Secretary of the Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Otepou Board of Trustees. “These new kapahaka uniforms and adornments will allow our tamariki to perform to the best of their abilities.”

The new kapahaka uniforms included: Heru, Mako and Bone Earrings, Ta Moko Templates, Maro, Tatua, Bodices and headbands for all students involved.

The Te Mana Kuratahi Kapahaka competition will run over four days in November this year, with over 30 schools competing.

Members of the Breast Cancer Network NZ can celebrate wide distribution of a coloured landmark 100th issue of the Network’s magazine Upfront U Kaiora, thanks to funding from the Mazda Foundation.

The Breast Cancer Network NZ is an independent breast cancer organisation established in 1993 for women who have experienced breast cancer and for their family members and friends.

Since the inception of the group they have published a bimonthly magazine – unique in that no other breast cancer group in New Zealand publishes a similarly informative and educational magazine.

“The publication of the 100th issue will confirm the commitment of the Breast Cancer Network to continue to provide support and information to women who have experienced breast cancer,” says Sharon Unasa, chairperson of Breast Cancer Network NZ. “Through our magazine we provide a voice for the concerns of women with breast cancer. Thanks to the Mazda Foundation we can continue to inform, share and educate on breast cancer and encourage lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of breast cancer for the benefit of the whole community.”