Business North October 2021

102 | COMMUNITY PORSE to page 0 Sporting an early education The More For Kids Foundation Trust is planning to hold its inaugural awards dinner at Eden Park on October 30. F ollowing the success of the unique and in- novative partnership between early child- hood educator PORSE and the Auckland Blues, where PORSE ran a managed childcare facility at Eden Park through the Trans-Tas- man season, PORSE’s sister charity the More For Kids Foundation Trust is planning to hold its inaugural awards dinner at Eden Park on October 30. PORSE’s partnership with the Blues is the first of its kind in New Zealand, and provided a novel way for parents to enjoy the Trans-Tas- man season with the knowledge their children were well cared for and having fun. “It’s important young families get to go to these games,” says PORSE managing director Rrahul Dosshi. “It’s pretty tough for young families who don’t get all the opportuni- ties they could have when they don’t have child-minding. This is our way of going above and beyond, of being as supportive as we can and making it easier for families to attend these games.” Rrahul says the sporting fraternity has not seen such a childcare model before in New Zealand, and likewise the childcare industry has not had such an association with sports. “For us to be in this space is so prestigious. We’re helping children to come along, and families to come along to these games.” Key to the PORSE operation is not only the education but also the nurturing of young children. In 2018, PORSE became part of the Rainbow Corner Group of Companies, a mul- tifaceted early childhood education business with early learning centres and home-based early learning programmes from Dargaville to Invercargill. Rrahul says the Rainbow Corner Group’s holistic approach has seen all of its newest centres include a dedicated sports field. One of the latest centres to open has a large out- door playground with play equipment, a soc- cer field, and an athletics track. The Rainbow Corner Group is continuing to grow through- out New Zealand and within the coming 12 months will increase its number of centres to 30, and the number of children in its care to about 5000. Many centres include their own catering facilities providing freshly prepared, unprocessed meals for the children every day. “The key is giving back - making sure these littlies under our care are nourished and nurtured,” Rrahul says. “The association we have with the Blues serves to reinforce what we’re doing in our centres and our home- based programmes. The Blues taking the win of the Trans-Tasman final made it all the more special!” Kelly Deeks The More For Kids Foundation Trust is enabling access to free preschool education for more children by allocating 10% of the Rainbow Corner centres’ enrolment places to those in need. “If you can do something to help those in need, then do it. By supporting these families with fully subsidised childcare, we also feel we are helping the wider family, and we feel the mental health of the wider family is very important.” The More For Kids Foundation Trust Awards are open to the entire Rainbow Corner Group network and all of its sponsors and partners, including the Auckland Blues. Award categories include Best Working Dad, Best Working Mum, Best Working Grandpar- ent, and Child Entrepreneur of the Year. “The association we have with the Blues serves to reinforce what we’re doing in our centres and our home-based programmes. The Blues taking the win of the Trans- Tasman final made it all the more special!” DELIVERING GEOTECHNICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, CIVIL, ANDWATER RESOURCE ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS Auckland 09 489 7872 | riley@riley.co.nz Christchurch 03 379 4402 | rileychch@riley.co.nz It’s been our privilege to partner with The RainbowCorner Early Learning Centre to deliver educational resources to support the early education operators to create COMMUNITIES OF LEARNING ; where families, teachers, children and management are brought together in caring for and educating citizens of the future. Congratulations TheRainbowCorner! playnlearn.co.nz | 0508 111 444