Nau Mai, Haere Mai and Welcome to the our latest update, here in the depths of winter.

What is Momentum Waikato all about?

Kelvyn Eglinton, Momentum Waikato Chief Executive.

The current team at Momentum Waikato have now been working together for a bit over 12 months – laughing, collaborating, researching, hosting events, telling our stories, meeting people and generally pursuing our vision ‘for a better Waikato for everyone forever’.

Throughout, we have been steadily increasing our reach and the region’s understanding of who we are and what we do. However, there are still a lot of people we meet who, at best, are only aware of just one part of our business. So, if you’re asked, here’s our story for you to relay.

Read more.

Cake and gifts mark Waikato Women’s Fund’s first birthday

A significant financial gift was ‘the cherry on the top’ at the Waikato Women’s Fund’s recent first birthday ‘cake breakfast’, announced following powerful speeches from two local leaders.

The Waikato Women’s Fund team blew out their first candle at the sold-out fundraiser attended by 140 guests, held at SkyCity Hamilton’s conference centre on Thursday 4 July. Fund Committee Chair Michelle Howie says the response to the special event was overwhelming.

Read more.

Top firm’s donation launches Hamilton CBD Fund

Foster Construction Group has donated $50,000 to Momentum Waikato’s Hamilton CBD Development Fund and will follow this up with $25,000 a year for the next four years, for a total initial contribution of $150,000. Local businesses, corporate offices and philanthropists keen to see Hamilton’s downtown become a major drawcard for the city are being invited to join them in backing the Fund.

“Fosters is all about creating ‘great communities through strong foundations’,” says Group Director and Momentum Waikato Chair Leonard Gardner, who spoke at the CBD Fund’s breakfast launch, held on Thursday 25 July at FMG Stadium Waikato.

Read more.

Theatre an investment in kids’ future: Feisst

A top company director’s passion for supporting young people has prompted him to back the Waikato Regional Theatre.

Marcus Feisst and Feisst Group have donated $100,000 to the transformational Hamilton-riverbank project.

Read more.

Stan Walker returning to The Tron

It was so successful last year, we’re doing it again!

Stan Walker is returning to Hamilton to lead another creative careers and song-writing workshop for secondary school students from across the Waikato, supported by Momentum Waikato, at The Meteor on Friday 6 September.

As ever, it will be opportunity to build public support for the Waikato Regional Theatre, seed the ambition of our region’s next generation, build community connections and raise Momentum Waikato’s profile.

Keep an eye out for coverage on social media and in the news.

Momentum Waikato Supporter Survey

A couple of months ago we sent out a survey to all you good folks on our newsletter subscription list, in order to get a snapshot of the demographics and interests of our core support.

Just on nine per cent of you answered, which was certainly a large enough sample for the findings to be reasonably extrapolated to our whole set of supporters.

Here below are graphs of the results for the simple multi-choice questions.

The key takeaways?

  • Seemingly none of you are under 35, and the age distribution above that age is a shallow curve peaking somewhere in the mid-50s. It seems unlikely that no one at all under 35 gets these emails but we have to assume you’re so few in number that none of you got hooked by the survey request - perhaps a poll of our social media followers would show up at least some younger folk?

  • Your incomes range across the scale, with the higher end well represented.

  • Two-thirds of you live in Hamilton.

  • You come from a wide a range of occupations, such that other than a bunch of you being managers and directors, there are no particular blocks of job types.

  • About nine out of ten of you have already got a Will or are intending to create one. (Have any of you included a bequest to Momentum Waikato in your Will? Contact us to find out more about creating a legacy that will support your chosen cause or project forever.)

The survey also asked if you’d like to meet with us or host a group presentation to find out more about Momentum Waikato’s mission. Thanks to the dozens of people who said yes, we’re steadily working our way through the list and if we haven’t been in touch directly already, we will be soon.

If you didn’t complete the survey, but would like to meet or host us to learn how Momentum Waikato can help ensure your generosity makes a positive impact, please contact us.