30 July 2011

Anonymous donor gives $5m to Christchurch Earthquake Appeal

The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal today announced that it has received an anonymous donation of $5 million to help fund projects for school-age children in the worst affected Eastern Suburbs.

“These projects will include the provision of community facilities for school children of all ages that will include indoor sports, safe indoor play and homework areas, Wi-Fi spaces, and a range of supervised activities," said Mark Weldon of the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal. 

 “We are immensely grateful to this donor, as well as all those who have donated anonymously, who have been moved by the challenges facing Christchurch and its children, and by the resilience and strength shown in the city, and offered to help,” Mr Weldon said. 

“This is the biggest donation from an individual to the Appeal.  Another million dollar-plus donation has also been directed to this area. Combining these monies with other allocations from the Trust will see a significant amount spent in the near term on a range of projects - large and small - in the Eastern Suburbs. Details on some of these will be forthcoming shortly.”

The Trust is a long way down the track in assessing a number of possible facilities and projects. Working with the expert Advisory Board to the Trustees, which is made up of Christchurch representatives, the Trust will be shortly be in a position to announce the site(s) for community halls and similar facilities, as well as a timeline to full implementation.