The Taranaki Community Rugby Trust (TCRT) has added its new logo to the already sizeable financial support it gives to the sport in the province.

The trust, the only one of its type in the country, will appear on the lower back of the Toi Foundation Taranaki Whio jersey from this weekend when the side take on Tasman in the second round of the Farah Palmer Cup at Inglewood’s TET Stadium & Events Centre on Saturday.

As well as supporting the Toi Foundation Taranaki Whio, TCRT have been able to provide key partners with branding opportunities across four other representative Taranaki teams. The Taranaki Pasifika will partner with Farm Source, Taranaki Trojans with Osflo and the Taranaki under-16 girls and boy’s with Beach Energy.

“As we grow, we want our commitment and support of Taranaki rugby to do the same,” Taranaki Community Rugby Trust chairman Malcolm Sutherland said.

“In keeping with our cause of promoting community rugby for the health, welfare and safety of all involved, the Taranaki Community Rugby Trust congratulates the TRFU and the community rugby staff who have worked tirelessly to organise and present these representative teams”. 

“On behalf of the TCRT, we are sincerely grateful to our Platinum Community Partner Beach Energy, our major contributing donors Osflo Fertiliser, Farm Source and Velocite, all of our farm trust business donors, individual  supporters, staff and advisors who make it possible for us to contribute to community rugby initiatives such as these amateur representative team programmes.”

Taranaki Rugby chief executive Laurence Corlett said the union and province was the envy of many around the country for the fantastic support TCRT continued to provide which was having tangible benefits for everyone who plays the sport.

“This is another example of the tireless work the TCRT and everyone involved in the TCRT does and it will be great to see the trust’s new logo on the back of the Toi Foundation Taranaki Whio jersey on Saturday and for the rest of the season” he said.

“We are fortunate to have the Taranaki Community Rugby Trust supporting the TRFU with amateur representative teams in 2021. Without the support of the TCRT, it would not be possible to fund eight different, meaningful representative teams which reflect the community rugby or run our many community events via the Colin Cooper Club RDO programme, which they also support.”

Since 2008, the trust, which has two leased dairy farms in South Taranaki, has provided more than $680,000 to community rugby in Taranaki, including distributing over $200,000 this year alone.

That has included distributing to all clubs in the province with junior teams, sponsorship of referees, significant support to the Colin Cooper Club Rugby Development Programme.

The trust, which milks more than 800 cows with a further 177 young heifers on grazing land, has also helped fund eight club rugby development officers who work alongside schools and clubs to provide 4800 hours of extra coaching and support of amateur teams. 

Article added: Friday 30 July 2021