Tania Dalton Foundation

From left to right: Dame Lois Muir, K’Lee McNabb, Duane Dalton and Louisa Wall at the Parly Ferns v Media Ferns game in Auckland

In memory of Silver Fern #113, the Tania Dalton Foundation was created to honour and acknowledge a special vision, and in March it named the secondyear intake of recipients for its Scholarship Programme.

The Foundation was launched in 2017 after the untimely death of Tania, with the specific aim of inspiring young people to be the best they can be. It coordinates a range of programmes aimed at making a positive and measurable impact.

The main initiative for the Foundation is the Scholarship Programme, which honours Tania’s passion for supporting young women in sport.

The programme supports talented young sportswomen from all backgrounds and those who will benefit from the unique and valuable support the Foundation can provide.

The programme wraps a pastoral blanket around the young women with the view to helping them make the right decisions for their future.

The girls chosen are encouraged to see themselves as future role models and leaders in their communities, with the Foundation working alongside to help inspire them to realise their ultimate dreams.

There’s a huge engine of support behind the Foundation, including some of Tania’s closest friends and former team-mates, but one key driver who has a major advisory role is Tania’s daughter, Tayla Dalton.

Tayla has played a big role in developing the programmes while being heavily involved in workshop sessions. Being the same age as a number of the scholarship recipients, Tayla knows the

• Princess Elliott (touch and rugby 7s, Auckland) • Taneisha Fifita (netball, Oamaru) • Tenaija Fletcher (rugby, Warkworth) • Quantelle Hira-Kapua (netball, Christchurch) • Briana Irving (surf lifesaving, Gisborne) • Waiata Jennings (basketball, Rotorua) • Zaaliyah Kalaihi-Fulu (basketball, Auckland) • Vika Koloto (netball, Auckland) • Paris Lokotui (netball, Wellington) • Caterina Poletti (rugby, Waitaki) • Amy Rule (rugby, Riverton) • Quaye Walker-Eketone (basketball, Raglan)

best way to inspire and influence the group while sharing the vision of her mother.

In June, during the Cadbury Netball Series, a charity match between politicians (the Parly Ferns) and media (Media Ferns) went toe to toe while raising funds for the Tania Dalton Foundation.

This year’s exhibition match produced a 10-all stalemate after the Media Ferns won the inaugural Tania Dalton Memorial Trophy 21–11 in 2018.

There were many well-known identities on hand for the special occasion with the Parly Ferns line-up including Louisa Wall, Louise Upston, Nikki Kaye, Anahila Kanongata’a-Suisuiki, Maureen Pugh, Jessica Upston, Beatrice Faumuina, Mel Robinson and Cathryn Oliver.

The media side were well represented by Carolyn Taylor (Dancing with the Stars and What Now), Alex Mullin (The Edge producer of Dom, Meg and Randell), K’Lee McNabb (Dancing with the Stars and Mai FM), Lucy Hills (The Edge Brand Manager), Emily Reid (Breeze National Promotions Manager), Meghan Robinson (Mystics Manager), Emily Kooperberg (TVNZ) and Kirstie Stanway (Sky TV) all under the watchful eye of coach Bernice Mene.