As older residents make up a growing proportion of Mid Canterbury’s population, the Advance Ashburton Community Foundation has their back.
The foundation is growing a fund to assist older residents.
Currently at almost $13,000, the fund in future will be for groups such as Ashburton Senior Citizens, Hospice Mid Canterbury and Age Concern Ashburton to apply to.
Once it has a base of $200,000, it will be able to distribute grants.
Executive officer Carolyn Clough said Census data showed by 2048, almost one quarter of the district would be over 65, which was higher than the national average.
Sixty nine per centre of older adults are living on $30,000 or less a year and 24 per cent are living on their own.
Last year the foundation established the Lochlea Community Foundation.
The fund’s founding donation, of $10,000, came from retirement complex Lochlea Lifestyle Resort operator Les Brigg, who is also the former owner of Rainer Irrigation.
The name of the fund is Lochlea Community Foundation, however, those benefiting will not have to live at the resort.
‘‘The community part of the fund’s name represents the fact that many of the Lochlea community support it but it is also about the fact the fund is for the Mid Canterbury community,’’ Clough said
‘‘The fund is to support causes related to the elderly population in our community.’’
The base of $200,000 was needed so grants made could be of an amount that would ‘‘make a real difference’’.
Lochlea Lifestyle Resort office manager Sue Gluyas said many of their residents had kindly given donations to the fund.
‘‘Our residents and staff love the idea of having it, and being able to contribute to a fund that will help older Ashburton folk,’’ Gluyas said.
In addition, some Rainer Irrigation staff and several members of the community, including Gluyas, were making regular payroll contributions to the fund with a set donation from their wage.
* If you want to contribute to the Lochlea Community Foundation fund, go to advanceashburton.org.nz/ howto-make-a-donation, call into the Advance Ashburton Community Foundation office at Level 2, Somerset House, 161 Burnett St, phone 307-5902 or email [email protected]
