ROTORUA SCHOOL CHILDREN IN NEW UNIFORMS
The children of Aorangi Primary School in Western Heights have just received a special delivery - new miniball and netball uniforms - thanks to a $5000 grant from NZCT (New Zealand Community Trust). The new strip – in the school’s colours of bottle green and gold – replaces an old, uncomfortable uniform and will give the children a huge boost, says principal Cynthia Holden. "We are a small primary school, in a modest community and it’s not often we get new uniforms," says Cynthia. "The old one was made of heavy cotton which was not suitable for small, fast moving children! Whenever it rained, the netball team would be weighed down by the wet fabric." In total, the school received 60 uniforms: two sets for miniball and two for their netballers. "We are thrilled with the new uniforms," says Cynthia. "Not only are they more comfortable, but they give the children a sense of pride and help raise their spirits as they take to the court representing our school. "We all know the ability a uniform has to change your attitude and give you courage – just think about the power of an All Black’s jersey," she says. "We are so pleased we can give our children a similar sense of pride and we are grateful to NZCT for its support." The miniballers and netballers range in age from seven to 11 years. Both codes participate in inter-school leagues throughout the year. There is a lot of family and whanau support for the young players, with many parents getting involved and helping with coaching and team management. "Sport has an amazing ability to bring people together," says the school’s sports coordinator Karen Anderson, "We really want to thank and recognise the families who are involved – we couldn’t manage without them. "The kids are really passionate about their sport – it’s really fantastic," she says. "We have one young pupil, Nathaniel, who can’t get enough miniball – so he’s joined the netball team too! He just wants to keep improving his skills and learning and he’s doing really well." NZCT Bay of Plenty Regional Advisory Committee chair Gary Cookson says the trust is pleased to help. "We are the biggest funder of amateur sport in New Zealand," says Gary. "We are committed to sport because we know what a positive impact it makes – especially on young people. "We always try to ensure income generated through NZCT gaming machines is put back into the community where the funds were raised," he says. "So it is our pleasure to support the children of Aorangi Primary School. We wish them the best of luck for the rest of the season and hope their new uniforms help them enjoy their sport even more. "At NZCT we are mindful of returning funds generated through our gaming machines, back to the communities where they were raised. So I’d like to thank the publicans who helped make this grant possible."
