New name, new brand
The Community Trust of Southland has changed its name, but to fix up longstanding confusion, not to signify any change in its policies or practices.
Its new name Community Trust South was unveiled, alongside a new brand and updated website, at an annual meeting that also marked the trust’s 30th anniversary.
Why change the name? ‘‘The area we support is wider than Southland,’’ chairman Margot Hishon said.
The trust’s role as a community funder had always encompassed from Wakatipu and Glenorchy to Stewart Island and from Fiordland to Heriot and Tapanui.
‘‘Our new name better represents that wide area in which communities and individuals can apply for grants and scholarships,’’ she said.
As for the trust’s policies and practices ‘‘none of that changes’’.
Although the trust had worked hard to keep the more widespread parts of its area informed, the limitations implied by the name Southland still caused confusion.
The trust’s Māori name, Te Pou Arataki Pounamu o Murihiku, would remain unchanged.
Hishon has also signalled moves to address a longstanding anomaly – at present Milford Sound is not part of the trust’s area, but falls within the Otago Community Trust boundary.
‘‘Milford is incredibly important to the people of Southland. Say to anyone in Southland that Milford is part of Otago and imagine the reaction you’d get.’’
Discussions were already under way and she was optimistic that agreement could be reached, perhaps by early next year, after consultations not only with the Otago Trust but also regional and district councils and ru¯ nanga. The community-owned trust was formed in 1988 when Trust Bank Southland became a company as part of banking industry deregulation. It has since distributed more than $186 million to its communities. This includes $6.4 million to 446 groups and individuals during the past financial year. Half the funding was for health, wellbeing and active lifestyles, 20 per cent for community development and community economic development, 18 per cent for education and 13 per cent for arts, heritage and culture.
The trust’s own investments totalled $224 million and the investment return for the year was 6.7 per cent. The grants budget for this year has risen to $8 million, an increase of about $1.5 million increase due to the reinstatement of a provision for major grants.
General manager Jackie Flutey said the trust’s new website should be more engaging and people should find it much easier to negotiate.
‘‘Through that work to develop the website we identified it may well be time to look at the (20-year-old) brand as well ... through that process the issue with the name was identified.’’
The refreshment of the brand was timely; the new logo suggesting a community that was greater than the sum of its parts, with bright, modern colours.
The new brand launch was held at Stadium Southland along with an exhibition telling the stories of 30 recipients of the trust’s support throughout the years.
‘‘We are proud to be celebrating 30 years of supporting our community,’’ Flutey said. ‘‘We wanted to recognise and celebrate the amazing people within our community.’’
The community has tended to refer to the trust as CTOS (pronounced see-toss) and although Community Trust South would prefer if that stopped Hishon said they were ‘‘realistic’’ that this was one change that might have to come about slowly.