Naked PossumTrust makes its first two grants
A trust recently formed by the late Dave Whittaker to provide financial assistance to sick and elderly people in Golden Bay has selected two worthy recipients to receive grants.
Local resident Kelly Bannister and her family have been granted $2000 to help with Kelly’s treatment at the Gawler Clinic in Australia, and Te Whare Mahana has received $2000 to help with the purchase of equipment for its new centre.
Trust chairman Devon McLean, of Nelson, explained that the trust evolved from Dave’s connection with The Naked Possum.
“Dave was a great fan of what Jocelyn and Grant are achieving at The Naked Possum Café. He felt that their passion for the cause of ecological restoration and their enthusiasm for Golden Bay in some way mirrored his own and he felt that helping them succeed would be a part of his legacy to the community he loved.”
The other trustees are Kate Gregory from Nelson, and locals Elizabeth Warren, Belinda Barnes and Grant Fitz-William.
Mr McLean is a founding trustee and chairman of Project Crimson. He has connections with Golden Bay going back to 1959, when he attended Motupipi School. He and his wife also own property here.
The trust intends to call for applications three times a year, in April, July and October. Application forms and details are available from Heartlands in Takaka, The Naked Possum Café or from the Naked Possum website, <www.nakedpossum.com>.
Neil Wilson
