QuickFeet December 2025
Our 5-minute update on Hoa Motuhake Sports Trust December 2025!
New Scholarship Manager
In August, we welcomed Hannah Soper, our new Scholarship Manager. Sport has played a huge role in Hannah’s life, and she has a genuine love for working with children, so being able to bring those two passions together in her day-to-day role is something she describes as a real privilege. Hannah works behind the scenes to keep everything ticking over, and you may spot her on the sidelines or in the stands, camera in hand. We are thrilled to have her on board.
Game Day Statistics
Since 2020, Programme Launch:
Total sports sessions: 7328
Tamariki supported to date: 97
Volunteer sports mentors: 75
Community sports played: 54
1st Year Sports Mentoring Update
We kicked off the year with 18 tamariki, and today we have 16 actively engaged - one unfortunately dropped out of contact and another was supported into more suitable services. Of those 16, 12 have been successfully enrolled in a sports class, club, or team and are now out there giving everything a go - from horse riding and boxing to football, karate, and more!
Our mentor mentee matches have been a real highlight, with strong, trusting relationships forming across the board. One standout story is of a young girl who has discovered a real passion for karate, thanks to her mentor, Shakira. Each week she waits eagerly at the gate, knowing Shakira will be there to take her to class. Her excitement says it all, when mentors show up consistently, magic happens. A huge credit to Shakira’s dedication and care and to all our incredible mentors, whose consistency and commitment make moments like this possible!
RIDE Tamariki Camp
The RIDE Tamariki Ski Camp was a massive highlight this year! We took 21 tamariki from the Scholarship Programme down to Cardrona Alpine Resort for a three-day adventure in collaboration with the Cardrona Foundation and what an experience it was. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for these tamariki, especially considering only one had ever seen snow before! Staying up on the mountain made it even more magical and the days were filled with small-group ski and snowboarding lessons, riding in the groomer, cooking pizzas, and exploring a completely new environment together. It was an unforgettable trip, one that grew each child’s confidence as they overcome individual challenges creating memories our tamariki will remember forever.
BLAKE Explorers Camp
Thirteen of our Sports Mentoring tamariki recently had an unforgettable experience at BLAKE Explorers Camp, facilitated by BLAKE NZ. With a focus on marine conservation, the children tried a new adventure each day - sailing, kayaking, and surfing - pushing themselves outside their comfort zones and embracing the challenges along the way. They stayed at Wainui Camp, where evenings were spent exploring the wonders of the ocean through VR technology, bringing the underwater world to life in a whole new way. This opportunity gave our tamariki a front-row seat to the incredible adventures and hidden wonders right in our own backyard, all while helping them grow braver & more curious.
Sport NZ Community Impact Award
In July, Hoa Motuake received the ‘Community Impact’ Award at the 2025 New Zealand Sport and Recreation Awards. This award is awarded to a project that positively impacts tamariki and/or rangatahi and their communities at a national, regional or local level.
This award belongs to many including our donors, as our impact is the result of a genuine community partnership in action creating lasting change for tamariki, whānau and the wider community.
New Office Space - Parakiore Sports Centre
We’re thrilled to announce that at the beginning of December, we’ll be moving into the Sports Hub at the brand-new Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre! From our exciting open-plan office, we’ll be working alongside organisations like Sport Canterbury, Christchurch City Council, and High-Performance NZ.
We are beyond grateful for the opportunity to be surrounded by like-minded sporting bodies, and we can’t wait to get started. A huge thank you to our incredible supporters - this wouldn’t be possible without you!
What’s Next?
As we wrap up the year, we have some exciting events to look forward to!
First up is our very first How Motuhake Graduation, where we’ll be celebrating six boys who have reached their fifth year in the programme. This is an incredible achievement, which we can’t wait to honour their dedication and journey. Then it’s time for our annual Christmas Party, guaranteed to be full of festive fun, including a special visit from Santa himself!
THANK YOU
Thank you to everyone involved with the trust over the past few months - mentors, clubs, donors, and supporters. Your support is invaluable and continues to help us provide life-changing opportunities for our tamariki!
We’d like to say a special thanks to our most recent donors. Welcome to the Hoa Motuhake community!! Your generosity helps us continue creating life changing opportunities for our tamariki, and we’re so excited to have you on this journey with us.
If you have a moment, we would love your support on both Instagram & Facebook! A follow, like or share goes a long way!! The more people that know about Hoa Motuhake, the more young lives we can impact.