West Otago Farmer Luke Kane Wins Rabobank 2026 Prize
West Otago dairy farmer Luke Kane has been awarded the 2026 Rabobank Dr John Morris Business Development Prize.
It offers a chance to win a day’s labour support and $5,000 in funding for their nominated community project.
Student-Led Project Wins Community Support
Recent competition winners include the Te Mata Tennis Club (2024), Beaconsfield School in South Canterbury (2023), and the Te Ranga School Bush Classroom in the Bay of Plenty (2022).
The 2025 winner, Colyton School, north-east of Feilding, were selected for the student-led idea to create a project focused on revamping the school’s bike track. Previously demolished to make way for a remodelling of the school grounds, the track was missed by the students, so an entry was put together for the Rabobank Competition.
Large Volunteer Turnout for Redevelopment Day
The last day of the holidays saw 25 Rabobank staff turning up on the day, including staff from the Manawatu, Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Wellington & the Waikato regions, alongside local community and school families, local MP, Suze Redmayne and Hamish McKay from The Country radio show.
Working with a blustery and showery day, meaning there was a bit of mud stuck to boots, the assembled team put in a long day, making use of donated plants, materials, and earthmoving equipment to create a new sandpit, reinstate the bike track and landscape both areas.
With a rollcall of 153 students, senior members also put in a day’s work, working towards their Haututanga Leadership Awards, that requires service in the local community. Principal Janine Satchwell reports that most of the roll appeared to have brought their bikes to school on the first day of term to try out the track, burning off some energy in the breaks between lessons.
Rabobank Continues Backing Rural Communities
Rabobank general manager for country banking Bruce Weir says the bank is thrilled to continue its support for rural communities through the Good Deeds Competition.
“Rural community projects play a vital role in strengthening rural areas, and we always look forward to seeing the innovative and impactful initiatives coming to fruition.
“I’ve been lucky enough to attend several of these labour days since the inception of the competition, and the local teams always roll up their sleeves and really get stuck in.”
