Auckland Diving Community Trust has received $5,000 in funding support from The Trusts Your West Support Fund to contribute to the salary of Auckland Diving Development Officer and Senior Coach, Ellie Price.

Ellie began coaching diving in 2017 and has become pivotal in the development and delivery of diving and deep water safety programmes to school children in Auckland.  This funding will assist with the ongoing rollout of the programmes to West Auckland schools.

One of the most recent school activities to be added to Auckland Diving’s school offering is an Education Outside The Classroom (EOTC) programme for students in years 5-8. The programme is aimed at providing an active and interesting day out with water safety education and an opportunity for students to challenge themselves under the watchful guidance of Auckland Diving coaches.  

In July 2021 under Ellie’s supervision, the EOTC programme was attended by a group from Taupaki School.

“Our students had a fabulous time and were really given a chance to get out of their comfort zone,” commented Penny Rollinson, Sports Coodinator from Taupaki School. “I felt the students were safe and in good hands with coaches who were encouraging, helpful and clearly experts.” 

Auckland Diving Head Coach, Steve Gladding, is delighted to have received support from The Trusts, particularly given the financial impact lockdowns have had on Auckland Diving Community Trust, a registered not-for-profit charity. 

“We are on a mission to make diving more accessible to more people, and our schools programme is a key element of this, not only to uncover new diving talent and provide new sporting opportunities, but also to help West Auckland’s young people to build self-esteem by facing and overcoming the mental and physical challenges diving presents.”

The Trusts Your West Support Fund was set up to give back $1,000,000 worth of short-term financial assistance for registered charities and incorporated societies helping West Aucklanders, with a focus on supporting charities and groups who had few other sources of funding and where their ability to continue to serve the community was placed in jeopardy due to the impact of COVID. 

Each application was reviewed by a selection panel consisting of elected members from Portage & Waitakere Licensing Trusts. The fund will be shared, in varying amounts, across 130 West Auckland community groups.

ENDS