Hawke’s Bay’s women and children are set to be supported with another significant donation of over $38,000 from the Hawke’s Bay Women’s Charity Tennis Tournament.
To ensure the impact is felt in perpetuity, the organisers have decided to put a portion of the funds raised from this year’s event to set up a fund with Hawke’s Bay Foundation. The remaining funds will be used to support women and children today, through distributions to Taku Mamia Trust, Kia Haumaru and The B.R.A.V.E. Foundation.
Funds from previous tournaments have supported upgrades to safe houses across Hawke’s Bay, however organisers Anna Jepson and Sue Lock chose, for the first time, to partner with Hawke’s Bay Foundation for their 2025 event. Anna Jepson, who has helped run the highly anticipated tournament for the last 10 years, says partnering with the Foundation makes sense when considering an enduring model for the well-attended tournament and the many thousands it collects.
“We like that Hawke’s Bay Foundation is an established entity, with frameworks for accessing women and children, and that it’s transparent about how funds are handled,” says Anna. “Establishing a named fund through Hawke’s Bay Foundation means we know where every dollar is going.”
The newly-minted Hawke’s Bay Women’s Charity Tennis Tournament Fund is now operational, with the Foundation carefully invest funds raised, reinvesting a portion of returns, and distributing the balance to support women and children in need.
“Women and children in need are our passion,” continues Anna “and this partnership allows us to grow a fund over time and share returns with the community.”
Keeping the funds local remains a priority for the organisers, who rely on the generous support of sponsors to run the tournament every 18 months. Donations include premium beverages, auction prizes, and gourmet food.
“We all live locally and it’s lovely to be able to make even a small difference to our own community,” says Anna, who has only had to cancel the tournament once – during COVID.
This year’s matches were soggier than usual, with torrential rain hitting Havelock North just before the finals were due to be played late last month. “It did make for a few logistical challenges – the strong winds looked like they were going to blow our gazebos through the windows,” says Anna, whose property south of the village hosts the semi-finals and finals on grass at the end of the day-long tournament. But with a bit of last-minute administration, players and spectators were able to congregate inside for the tournament’s charity auction, where donated items including a sitting with photographer Richard Brimer, lunch for 10 at the Black Barn River Room and a luxury retreat at the Craggy Range Vineyard Cottage were hotly contested.
A total of 64 players and 100 spectators braved the weather, enjoying canapes, gin and Pimms despite the damp. “Some matches were shortened due to the conditions but people weren’t discouraged at all. They just huddled under umbrellas and enjoyed the day – perhaps the rain injected a little magic into it!” laughs Anna.
She says a highlight of the tournament is the presentation of the Dot Townsend Memorial Trust Cup, sponsored by Bayswater European and awarded to the player of the day based on sportsmanship rather than solely tennis ability. ‘It’s one of the very special moments of the day.”
Executive Officer for Hawke’s Bay Foundation, Alesha Hope, was in attendance during the waterlogged finales, to welcome the new fund and partnership. She says she is delighted to work closely with Anna, her fellow organiser Sue Lock and all the supporters of the tournament. “We love to see grassroots giving like this – generous people, identifying a need and figuring out a way to help. We’re thrilled to establish a fund that will see the efforts of Anna, Sue and the whole team maximised over many years to come.”
