The Maidstone Park Charitable Trust

UPPER HUTT

The Maidstone Park Charitable Trust

The Maidstone Park artificial turf in Upper Hutt is used by over 5,000 different people each year, and many of those are enjoying the benefits of sport and the turf field over multiple visits.

Jamie Wood is the Chair of the Maidstone Park Charitable Trust and says the park is a valuable community asset available for sports groups, schools, and community organisations to hire (at a discounted low-cost rate) so their members can be active outdoors, all year round.

The Maidstone Park Charitable Trust is a sports trust set up to run the activities at the turf.

“We sought the support of the Hutt Mana Charitable Trust to allow the Maidstone Park Trust to continue to provide such an important community facility at a low-cost discounted rate.

“In providing a community facility to over 5,000 users each year, many of whom are from low decile areas, we consider ‘cost’ to participate in sport should not be a barrier to entry for any user, especially youth/junior users each weekend or week night.”

Jamie says the lower the cost of booking the turf, the more community members will use the facility.

The Trust leases the turf from the City Council and in addition, the trust pays for the cost of the floodlighting.

“This funding received from the Hutt Mana Charitable Trust means the costs the Maidstone Turf Trust needs to recoup from hiring the facility is reduced which in turn reduces the amount the trust has to charge community groups when they hire the ground.”

This enables more community groups across Wellington to use the facility, says Jamie.