Volunteer groups to be recognised at community awards event

REPRESENTATIVES from the 25 best community groups in New Zealand will go head to head in Queenstown this weekend in the 2017 Trustpower National Community Awards.

About 150 people from across the country are expected to attend Saturday’s event in the resort, including the mayor, or a council representative, from each region represented.

Southern regional finalists are: Luma Light Festival Charitable Trust (Queenstown Lakes), Salvation Army (Central Otago), Clutha District Settlement Support Inc (Clutha), South Invercargill Urban Rejuvenation Charitable Trust, South Alive (Invercargill City and Southland), Harbour Street Jazz Inc (Waitaki), Otago Special Olympics Powerlifting (Dunedin).

The awards recognise and reward the efforts of volunteers.

All finalists had been named the supreme winners at regional awards held across New Zealand last year.

On Saturday, each group will give a presentation, lasting up to eight minutes, on their activities or project, and will be judged on that as well as a 1000word summary submitted prior to the event.

Guest judges include Volunteering New Zealand chief executive Scott Miller, TVNZ Good Sorts creator and presenter Haydn Jones and former Supreme Winner Janice Lee, of Koha Kai.

The winner, runnerup and Whetu Mataiata award recipients will be announced at a formal event on Saturday night.

The winner will receive a custommade trophy by Glenorchy artist Dan Kelly, $4000 prize money, a framed certificate and a $1000 consultancy voucher from Exult, a training provider for the community sector.

The runnerup will receive $2500 prize money, a $500 Exult voucher and a framed certificate, and the Whetu Mataiata Award winner will receive a framed certificate and a consultancy service package from Exult.