A message from our board chair
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A message from the board chair - Annual Report 2022-23
Tēnā koutou katoa
As I think back on this past year – the first of our 2022-’26 Strategic Plan – I’m exceptionally proud of Sport Bay of Plenty’s work. Not only have we made great progress, but we’ve also done it against a backdrop of continuing and emerging challenges for our sector.
This last financial year has been like no other we have faced before. The pandemic’s impacts continue to show up in changed physical activity habits; high-inflation is presenting challenges for everyone; and severe weather events in neighbouring regions have highlighted the vulnerabilities our sector faces with a changing climate. Despite the headwinds, though, Sport Bay of Plenty is managing to hold its strategic course.
We knew from the outset our 2022-’26 Strategic Plan would require collaboration across a wide-range of sector stakeholders. This year we have seen that collaboration at work as we supported councils to develop plans that will influence physical activity opportunities in their districts, and stepped alongside the Murupara community to help them realise their own physical activity aspirations via a locally-led health trial.
Our education team has also continued to work with 80 schools and kura across our region in ways that are creating healthy and active learning environments, and supporting better connections to local communities.
We are now also three years into administering Sport NZ’s Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa fund. In that time more than $3.5 million has been invested into play, active recreation and sport opportunities across the Bay of Plenty to enable more young people in high-deprivation, young people with disabilities and young women aged 19-24 to be active.
Working in partnership with stakeholders and collaborating with a range of players in our sector has been key to the successes of the past year. As we step into the next few years of our strategy, we are very mindful that prudent financial management and strategic leadership will help Sport Bay of Plenty continue to deliver value to our partners and improve physical activity opportunities across our region. With that in mind, I’d like to express gratitude to our primary partners, Sport NZ, BayTrust, Te Whatu Ora and each council across the Bay of Plenty who continue to support and invest in our work. Thanks also to New Zealand Community Trust, Rotorua Trust, Lion Foundation, Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust and ACC as well as other funders whose support enables us to add value to our local communities.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Sport Bay of Plenty team, led by chief executive Heidi Lichtwark, for their hard work and expertise which has enabled the organisation to gain traction in this first year of a four year strategy. Every day each of them show up with passion and persistence, and our Bay of Plenty communities are the better for it.
Thanks also to my fellow trustees who throughout the year have contributed their leadership and expertise to help ensure we are on the right track and delivering the greatest possible strategic impact. Your contributions are greatly valued by all.
Noho ora mai,
Tom Elvin – Chair, Sport Bay of Plenty
