The head honcho at Sport Northland has put his money where his mouth is in a substantial commitment to youth sport in the region. Chief executive Brent Eastwood, 56, has pledged to give $25,000 through his will to the Kauri Club Fund, which was created with the Northland Community Foundation to financially support talented sportspeople in Northland.The Northland Community Foundation (NCF), of which Eastwood is the deputy chairperson, is one of 17 regional community foundations in New Zealand and invests funds on behalf of people, charities or businesses which want to donate to worthy Northland causes in all areas of society.Three years ago, NCF partnered with Sport Northland to form the Northland Sports Fund in order to secure long-term funding for the sport and recreation sector in Northland. The Kauri Club Fund is the first named fund underneath the umbrella of the Northland Sports Fund.The NCF invests the funds which are donated or bequeathed through local firm Craigs Investments Partners and then delivers the interest back in the form of grants. In the case of the Kauri Club Fund, the interest is given back to Sport Northland, which then uses an independent panel to distribute the money to local sportspeople.Northland squash prodigy Riley-Jack Vette-Blomquist, who represented New Zealand in July, recently received a $500 contribution towards his travel and training from the Kauri Club Fund.Eastwood's bequest was the first for the Kauri Club Fund and he said he was happy to get the ball rolling. "My passion for sport has made me decide to give back to my community, it's where my heart is," Eastwood said. "I know how difficult it is in Northland to get sports funding and I want to help more young athletes have that access in the future."By: Adam PearseMultimedia Sports Reporter, Northern Advocateadam.pearse@northernadvocate.co.nzClick on the Northern Advocate's weblink here: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503448&objectid=12279933
