At the 2022 Hororata Highland Games Mark Stewart and Ainsley Walter’s ongoing generosity and commitment to the Hororata Community Trust were acknowledged.

Mark Stewart and Ainsley Walter have been a driving force behind the Hororata Community Trust (HCT) since its inception in 2011. They have volunteered a huge amount of their time and expertise to shape the HCT into a successful charitable organisation that is making a difference in the community.

Recently Mark and Ainsley have made a significant ongoing pledge that will go towards covering the operating costs of the HCT. This means that funds raised at events like the Hororata Highland Games, Swap Meet, Glow Festival and other activities will go directly to benefiting the community.

The HCT’s primary project is working with Go Hororata to develop the Hororata Community Hub. An agreement was reached in September with the Selwyn District Council that will see the existing Hororata Hall and land surrounding placed under the HCT’s custodianship. With Go Hororata the HCT will work to create a vibrant community space, including the Hororata Museum.

At the 2022 Hororata Highland Games, Mark and Ainsley’s ongoing generosity and commitment were acknowledged in a surprise presentation by Chieftain Kate Foster, making them Lifetime Honorary Patrons of the HCT.

Mark and Ainsley were both surprised and humbled by this recognition, “We are just part of the complex cog system that makes the Hororata machine so powerful. It is the community and all of us working together that makes everything the Hororata Community Trust does a success.

Like all involved, we are all very proud of what has been achieved with our spectacular events, the Hororata Community Trust, the work we do with our community, and now the opportunity for a new community hub venture to focus on,” commented Ainsley and Mark.