Local organic trust seeks new projects
The Golden Bay Organic Employment & Education Trust (GBOEET) is looking for new ways to promote organics in Golden Bay.
The trust’s baby, the Golden Bay Organics shop, was sold to new private owners in June 2008. Since winding up their involvement with the shop, the trustees have stepped back from their day-to-day responsibilities and now want to put the trust’s accumulated funds into other worthwhile projects in the Bay.
Having experienced the demands of running a retail operation, the trust is keen to offer support to projects that fit well with its objectives.
“Establishing an organic shop came about because there was a need in the community,” said trust chair Chip Williams. “Now we’re able to support other people’s good ideas. We see our role as funders and enablers.”
The trust has already made a donation to Central Takaka School to enable its organic gardening project to continue. Last December Central Takaka School won first prize in the Golden Bay Community Board’s Best Group Garden Award. This year the school’s funding was cut, putting their whole Enviro Education Programme in jeopardy. School principal Liz Batten heard about the trust fund and applied for a donation to enable the organic gardening project to continue.
“The trustees were unanimous in our support of this project” said Chip Williams. “Central Takaka School has been doing a great job with the help of their mentor and guru, Sol Morgan. Their Sustainable Organic Garden Policy is based on the belief that organic gardening will give kids the chance to develop lifelong skills and healthy lifestyle choices through interaction with the natural environment in the school setting. We think that’s just the kind of thing the trust’s funds should be used to support.”
The trust will consider interest-free loans to get income-generating organic projects up and running. In cases where the returns will be of a more educational nature, the trust will consider making donations.
For further information please contact Chip Williams on 525 9472.
Neil Wilson
