News & blog hub

A new suspension bridge over the Whangaehu River is making the Te Araroa Trail safer and more enjoyable for walkers, thanks in part to support from Firstgas, part of Clarus. The 120-metre bridge, near Whanganui, has officially opened, providing an important new connection along New Zealand's 3,000-kilometre walking trail.

Funding from Firstgas, part of Clarus has helped a Taranaki waka ama crew take on some of the world’s best at the International Va’a Federation World Sprint Championships in Singapore. The crew competed in the Master Women’s 40-50 age group division in a W12 event at the championships in August, representing Taranaki on the international stage.

Freyberg High School students have raced their way into the world top six at the 2026 Hydrogen Grand Prix (H2GP) World Finals, with support from the Clarus Community Fund. The Palmerston North team travelled to Bulle, Switzerland, for the World Finals in June, competing against 90 student teams from more than 23 countries.

Every rider comes to Riding for the Disabled with their own abilities, challenges and goals. Through tailored programmes and interaction with horses, riders can build physical strength, confidence, independence and meaningful connections with others.

One of the latest initiatives Clarus is supporting through our Community Partnership Fund is a sponsorship for Age Concern Taranaki.

On a busy summer day at Fitzroy Beach, most people are thinking about the surf, the sun, and time with family. In the background, a team of volunteer lifeguards is watching every wave, ready to act when something goes wrong.

Firstgas was proud to support this year’s Energy Sector Fishing Competition over Summer, an event that brings together people from across the energy sector while giving back to the local New Plymouth community. Although we didn’t have a Firstgas team on the water this year, we were pleased to come on board as a sponsor and see the positive impact the competition delivered.

Over the Christmas period, Clarus teams across the motu (country) supported a range of community initiatives aimed at helping whānau during a particularly busy and challenging time of year.

Clarus recently supported the 2025 Energy Skills Aotearoa – Science Fair (STEMFest) in Taranaki through our Community Partnership Fund. Held in New Plymouth on 12–13 November, this unique event is the only energy and science fair for primary-aged children in Taranaki and Clarus’ gold sponsorship helped make this event possible for over 230 students from 13 schools across the region.

At Clarus and Firstgas, we’re committed to supporting initiatives that have a practical and meaningful impact on our communities where we operate, through our community partnership fund.