New community trust role
Having his finger on the pulse of our community and the wider region has allowed Tararua District mayor Roly Ellis take his place as a trustee on the Eastern and Central Community Trust until 2020.
Notified by Paula Bennett, the Assistant Minister of Finance, of his appointment, Mr Ellis admitted this new role will be another learning curve for him. Standing down from the mayoralty in October, Mr Ellis told the Dannevirke News he’s looking forward to being part of an organisation which makes a substantial contribution to communities.
“I think they were looking for someone who had an all-round focus on different organisation in a wide area. I’ve dealt with those on the East Coast, through to groups in the wider Horizons region and I think the trust sees me as somebody who is aware of the many, mainly volunteer organisations requiring help through funding.”
The Eastern and Central Community Trust is an independent, charitable trust which distributes donations for the benefit of communities throughout Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne, Manawatu, Tararua, Wairarapa and Horowhenua. The trust regularly donates money to community groups within its area, with donations of $5 million a year. The aim is to help these groups achieve the things they believe will make their communities a better place for all who live there.
And Mr Ellis said he feels he has a finger on the pulse having dealt with organisations for the past six years he’s been our district’s mayor and after living in Tararua for 20 years.
“I have a lot of connections, north, south and from the ranges to the coast and much wider,” he said. “I also employed 500 New Zealanders through my contracting business in the United Kingdom and put at least another 500 onto farms there.”
Mr Ellis said it’s good to be on the Eastern and Central Community Trust with David Lea of Pahiatua, and he’s looking forward to a new challenge.
“The trust has between 25 and 30 two-day meetings a year, so the role will be challenging.”