Search on for ‘unsung heroes’ as ICC Civic Awards return

Nominations for the 2024 Invercargill City Council Civic Awards can now be made, and the mayor is encouraging the community to put forward “unsung heroes”.

The awards, which stopped in 2016, have been brought back by the council.

Between 1984 and 2016 the council gave 73 civic awards to people for their community service.

With nominations now open for 2024, Invercargill mayor Nobby Clark said he looked forward to seeing all the nominations “roll in”.

“Our community is full of individuals working to make a difference in various fields across Invercargill and Bluff,” Clark said.

Reinstating the awards was a way to recognise “unsung heroes” contributions and efforts to make the community a better place, he said.

The awards were initially held annually, then every three years and then stopped completely in 2016.

Strategy, policy and engagement manager Rhiannon Suter proposed in August last year to bring back the awards and recommended the areas of recognition be evolved.

Suter proposed that recognition be inspired by the four wellbeing pillars the council had adopted, and that has been agreed.

This year’s award categories will cover contributions in the areas of social, including youth activities, social welfare, educational services, and community affairs; cultural, including cultural services, religious affairs and recreation; economic; and environmental.

Civic awards are honorary and nominees would be considered by a panel comprising the mayor or deputy mayor, a council representative, one councillor from the Community Wellbeing Committee, a mana whenua representative and a community representative nominated by the panel.

Only individuals can be nominated and nominations had to made and seconded by an Invercargill resident.

In the past recipients have been given a silver medal and certificate.

Invercargill resident Lloyd Esler won a civic award in 2007 and said it was an honour.

Esler said he had always been involved in the community and got a lot of satisfaction out of helping people.

He said he was “delighted” the council had revived the Civic Awards and encouraged the community to nominate people who were making a positive difference in the community.

“Volunteers aren’t looking for publicity, but the Civic Awards are a bit of a pat on the back.”

Nominations close on April 12 and to submit a nomination community members can come into the council building and fill out a form or download a form off the council website.