It’s been another record-breaking year for entries with our Big Little Sponsorship. In its fifth year, the Big Little Sponsorship encourages nominations for primary schools across the nation to help our littlest athletes reach their sporting dreams. With the help of All Blacks legend Keven Mealamu and our friends at Eden Park, we’re delighted to share this year’s deserving winners.
Nominations from across the country
The 2024 Big Little Sponsorship received 5,500 nominations, over 800 more than last year. There were nominations for primary schools across the nation, from the Aupouri Peninsula in the Far North to Rakiura/Stewart Island. Each nomination gave the entrant school a chance to win one of six sports grants.
The judging panel
Our panel of judges was made up of our Big Little ambassador Keven Mealamu and representatives from Eden Park and AA Insurance. The judges had the challenge of picking our 2024 winning schools using our competition criteria: eligibility, strength of nomination, value of winning and the importance of sport to the school. Keven said, “Communities really got behind their local primary schools with our highest number of nominations yet – it was no easy feat to find winners with so many worthy nominations!”
Our North Island winners
Our judges chose Kawerau South School in the Bay of Plenty as our North Island winner of the $10,000 sports grant. The school hopes to use the sports grant to buy newly branded sports uniforms for the children, gazebos and towards transport to take them to sports competitions. Tumuaki (Principal) Raylene Gage-Te Hau was delighted to accept the sports grant: “Finding resource for school sports is challenging for our kura and we often borrow sports gear from our local college. Sports is not only important for our physical hauora (wellbeing), but it’s also an opportunity for our kids to be kids and setting them up to succeed by teaching important life skills. We have so many talented young athletes and this grant will help give them more opportunities to get involved in sports.” Congratulations, Kawerau South School!
Our second and third place sports grants were awarded to St Joseph’s School in Waitara, Taranaki, who received a $2,000 grant, and Avon School in Stratford, Taranaki, who received a $1,000 sports grant.
Our South Island winners
The winner of our South Island grant went to Birchwood School in Nelson, recognised for their inclusive sports culture. Birchwood School will be looking to spend the grant on new soccer goal posts and will ask their students how they want the rest of the grant to be spent. Birchwood School Tumuaki (Principal) Camilla Brotherton, enthusiastically received the sports grant, emphasising the value of sport to the school: "Sport is a big part of the culture at Birchwood School. You can see how it helps to grow a sense of wellbeing and community with families coming along to support tamariki at sports events at school and elsewhere." Well done, Birchwood School!
Our second and third place sports grants were awarded to Isleworth School, Christchurch, and Waimari School, also in Christchurch.
A heartfelt congratulations to our winning schools and to the communities who got behind them! Here’s a sneak peek into the celebrations: