Stratford High Students Ready to Compete Thanks to $30,000 NZCT Grant.

New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) has granted $30,000 to Stratford High School to support travel and accommodation expenses for the upcoming New Zealand Secondary Schools (NZSS) Tournament Week.

Philippa Smith, Sports Coordinator at Stratford High, said, “This grant enables our students to travel to tournaments and compete with teams from outside our region, which is invaluable. The cost of attending these events is high for families, especially those with multiple students involved.”

“Our students enjoy the experience of travelling and bonding as a team,” Smith continued. “These trips create lasting memories and pride in representing our school. Without NZCT’s generous funding, many students would miss out due to financial constraints.”

Year 11 student Blake Evans expressed his excitement: “I'm really stoked to be able to go to my first tournament and see what other teams are like.”

NZCT’s GM Grants, Marketing and Communications, Ben Hodges adds, “Tournament Week is a wonderful opportunity for young people, and we’re delighted to help make the experience affordable for more families. NZCT is grateful for the responsible gaming fundraising partnership we enjoy with the Empire Hotel that made our grant possible.”