The New Zealand netball community is set to get a big helping hand following ANZ New Zealand's announcement of the ANZ Good Sports Cricket and Netball Grants programme, pledging $1 million to support the return of community netball and cricket following the COVID-19-imposed hiatus.
ANZ NZ has had longstanding relationships with Netball New Zealand and New Zealand Cricket and Antonia Watson, ANZ NZ CEO, said conversations with each sporting body highlighted how badly community sport had been impacted in recent months.
“For most New Zealanders, life as we knew it stopped a few months ago, and that included Kiwi kids’ Saturday morning sport,” she said.
“As New Zealand moves down the COVID-19 Alert Levels and we return to a more familiar way of life, it’s important to help kids back into their team sport and physical activity.
“We worked with Netball New Zealand and New Zealand Cricket to create a community grant programme as they both told us community clubs would be facing challenges as they get back up and running again. In response we created the ANZ Good Sports Cricket and Netball Grant programme committing $1 million to help local teams and clubs return to the games they enjoy.
“We want to help remove the financial barrier to help ensure as many Kiwi kids get back to playing netball and cricket safely, and as soon as possible,” Ms Watson said.
All local netball and cricket clubs or teams can apply for support through the ANZ grant. ANZ NZ is encouraging applicants to ask for what they need to help them get back up and running, this could include anything from uniforms and equipment to funding to help with ground maintenance.
Netball and cricket clubs or teams can apply now through this link.
“This ANZ funding has come at a time community sport needs help getting back on its feet. Most sports teams haven’t been able to play for almost two months and as netballers we can’t wait for our teams to return to the court, and this grant will help ensure as many teams as possible can. If local clubs and teams are struggling financially we urge you to apply," Netball New Zealand Chief Executive Jennie Wyllie said.
ANZ NZ has been a long-time supporter of Netball New Zealand and New Zealand Cricket from grassroots to the professional level.
ANZ NZ’s $1 million Good Sports Cricket and Netball Grants programme is in addition to the bank’s total $2 million donation to Women’s Refuge, Age Concern New Zealand and the Salvation Army in New Zealand as well as the Red Cross and a series of local charities in the Pacific to support vulnerable people through the COVID-19 crisis.
These donations are in addition to ANZ NZ’s $15 million annual contribution of local sponsorships and donations to sports, arts, cultural and community organisations and events.