The Taihape Community Development Trust (TCDT) its aim is to ‘promote community development and to manage community projects and events for the benefit of the Taihape Community’.

The Trust endeavours to achieve this aim through the following objectives:

• Providing professional assistance at little or no charge to other voluntary clubs and community organisations for planning projects; 
• Locating and arranging funding for projects that will benefit the Taihape community;
• Initiating and organising community projects and events; and
• Coordinating resources and the various involved organisations’.

The Trust has been active in the Taihape community since April 2007 and the following is a brief overview of its many projects & events:

• The Taihape community website (www.taihape.co.nz) was established and provides information about Taihape, its local businesses, projects and events. It includes a message board and space for Taihape sports clubs and voluntary organisations which are called upon to unite under the umbrella of the Taihape Community Development Trust. The website is continuously updated by the Project & Events Manager.

• The brochure was printed in September 2007. It included information about the town, its history, local activities, and businesses – most of them have expressed their support and interest. The brochure was to encourage local pride and refer people to the Taihape website. Since, various brochures have been produced the creation of which the Trust was involved with e.g. the ‘Rangitikei Walks’ brochure.

• In March 2008, the Trust initiated the Taihape Leisure Hub Project which involved the organizing of various community meetings to bring together the large amount of sport and voluntary groups in the area and an application for funding for a feasibility study into the development of such a Leisure Hub for Taihape (funding provided by Lottery Community Facilities Fund, study undertaken by OPUS International).

Since, the Leisure Hub Steering Committee has had various meeting to progress a further application for funding to the Lottery Community Facilities Fund to develop and build the Leisure Hub for Taihape.

• During the autumn, the Trust undertook the survey ‘Your Opinion Matters’. The Trust endeavored to find out what projects and events the community felt should be pursued, what was expected from Gumboot Day, whether the town needed security cameras, what should happened to the Swim Centre and what the opinion was about the website. The Trust published the results in the Central District Times and on its website and used these results for (successful) funding applications to Pub Charity, Lottery Communities, COGS and Powerco.

• In August the Trust was closely involved with the organising of the North Island Main Trunk Line Centenary event in Taihape.

• The Trust successfully organised Gumboot Day. The event took place on Saturday 25 October 2008 and attracted a total of 4,000 visitors (in combination with the final Taihape College Reunion and the Feilding Steam Train Centenary event). The Trust will organise Gumboot Day again in March 2010.

• The Trust was approached by the Taihape Community Board regarding a play ground for the very young. The Trust is working with the board towards the establishment of such a play ground.

• The Trust was able to secure a 3-year grant from the Ministry of Social Development as part of its Enterprising Communities Scheme. This grant has made it possible for the Trust to continue its work in the community and explore projects that could provide a permanent income source.

• In November 2007, the Trust signed an agreement with the Rangitikei District Council to take over management of the Taihape Swim Centre. The aim of the transfer of operational management decision was a decrease in the rates for the Taihape rate payer. The agreement took effect in August 2008 and currently, together with the RDC, the Trust is working on an Asset Management Plan and strategy for an upgrade of the Swim Centre.

The Trust was able to secure a grant from Pub Charity for the undertaking of a feasibility study into a possible upgrade of the pool. This study is currently being considered while developing an Asset Management Plan for the pool.

• The Trust has revived the popular Lucky Shopper concept which involves a cash donation from local businesses towards a $1,000 prize (to be spent a participating stores). The idea is to stimulate the local population’s shopping in Taihape. Each year, the draw takes place in the centre of town in December, in the week before Christmas.

• In addition to the above, the Trust works together with a large amount of groups in improving the region. Examples are the Taihape business community to increase visitor numbers to the town, the Central District Times for advise on advertising and to create a profile for the Trust, the Rangitikei District Council as part of its Leisure Plan Committee and Tourism Steering Group Committee, Work & Income and Heartland Services in increasing employment opportunities, and the Taihape Area School as a major stakeholder in both the Leisure Hub project and the Swim Centre upgrade.

• Finally, the Trust has assisted with various other events (e.g. Trolley Derby 2007, Gumboot Throwing Competitions and Relay for Life) and helped organisations getting established (e.g. Local Farmers Market). The Trust has recently been approached to assist with the organizing of the A&P show which is expected to see it’s 100-year anniversary in 2011.

The Trustees are: Trevor Dyke (Chair), Les Clarke (Vice Chair), John Booth (Treasurer), Terry Karatau, and Brian Sage.

The Trust's Project & Events Manager is Elizabeth Mortland. You can contact her by phone (06 388 1307) or e-mail: elizabeth@taihape.co.nz.

The Trust would like to thank the following organisations for their continuous support for the various community projects: