2023 Canon Oceania Grants

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Pukekohe High School

A major art project in the heart of Pukekohe is sparking change and acting as a conversation starter for students about their own local history - especially Māori culture. Three of five murals are now complete, with rangatahi from Pukekohe High School working alongside Māori contemporary artists to not only enhance the town but connect the people of Pukekohe with their history. The Canon Grant helps Pukekohe High School’s rangatahi by providing the right tools to visually document and capture their environment and those in it.

“The Pukekohe Mural Project is about inspiring all our kids, Māori and non-Māori, teaching and enabling our rangatahi to respond to our history in a positive and creative way. The Canon Grant will help our rangatahi by providing the right tools to visually document and capture their environment and those in it. Their documentation becomes powerful resources for everyone, we would like to express our sincere thanks to Canon and everyone who supported the Pukekohe Mural Project. “Ka mua ka muri – we walk backwards into the future”.

Catherine Tamihere, Pukekohe High School art teacher

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Sustainable Oceans Society

Sustainable Oceans Society is currently undertaking the Great White Project which involves deploying satellite tags on baby and juvenile Great White Sharks in the Tauranga harbour region. This project will not only help them understand why these Great Whites have been migrating to the region but will help reveal habitat use and behaviour. It also involves scientific photo ID of sharks using their unique markings. The purpose of this project is to limit the adverse interactions between great whites and the public through widespread knowledge and information where, ultimately, the Great Whites tracks will be displayed live on a website to allow people to decide where to swim in the ocean. The camera equipment from the Canon grant will assist with Photo ID work on a new and growing population of Great White sharks in New Zealand’s NE region, allowing scientists to identify individuals through time and space and enable population estimates.

"The Canon Grant will go a long way in supporting the Great White Project. The camera equipment from Canon will assist with Photo ID work on a new and growing population of Great White sharks in New Zealand’s NE region. Photographs of unique dorsal fin and skin pigmentation markings on sharks allows scientists to identify individuals through time and space and enable population estimates."

Dr Riley Elliott, Shark Scientist

Love Soup

Love Soup collects surplus food, from partners such as Countdown, and re-distributes it to frontline organisations like foodbanks, schools, and community kitchens so they can feed those in need. Last year alone, Love Soup rescued over 500,000 kilos of food which not only supported and nourished communities but prevented food waste. Their impact is felt across Auckland, Rotorua and Tokoroa communities where they also provide free community meals for families to come together and enjoy a night out together. The Canon Grant will allow them to create a range of promotional materials raise awareness, spread their impact and help more people.

“Love Soup is about feeding people and not landfill but we also work alongside a lot of other great food rescue groups and organisations sharing kai, like the Food Banks. Being awarded this grant will allow us to create a range of promotional materials so we can raise awareness of what we do, spread our impact and help more people. Charitable organisations can struggle with the small things so this wonderful prize will enable us to reach more people who need our help.”

Julie King, Love Soup Founder