Six Porirua volunteers have been recognised for their outstanding service to the people of Porirua City.

Porirua Deputy Mayor Izzy Ford presented them with Civic Awards at Pātaka last week, Monday 19 June.

“The Civic Awards are the city's highest form of recognition to highlight and celebrate the efforts of individuals who give up their valuable time to contribute to the community,” she says.

This year’s recipients are:

• Annabel Malaulau

• Ngāhana Hartley

• Cheryl Brown

• Jeff Chapman

• Craig Utting

• Dr Elizabeth Sneyd.

“Porirua has so many people of talent and heart who give to one another and these latest recipients are among them,” says Deputy Mayor Izzy Ford.

“They come from diverse backgrounds, but all have an outstanding sense of community and a desire to be part of what makes Porirua a great place to live.”

To mark the occasion, Deputy Mayor Ford presented a lapel pin and engraved badge with the city’s coat of arms design to each recipient, along with a framed Civic Award certificate.

“These are only a very small token of the enormous amount of gratitude that I and other members of the Council and the city’s residents have for what you have collectively given to our city,” she said.

Mayor Mike Tana, who was at a tangi and could not attend the awards ceremony, sent his congratulations and thanks to the recipients.

“Thank you for the extraordinary amount of time and energy that you have contributed to help make Porirua the amazing city it is today.”

The Mayors of Porirua have presented Civic Awards to over 100 residents since 1993.

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Porirua Civic Awards 2017

Annabell Malaulau

Annabell has been nominated as a parent of Holy Family School.

Annabell has been involved in the School for many years and her impact has been immense.

She is currently the chairperson of The Volunteer Core group who are heavily involved in fundraising activities.

Every day Annabell stands guard at the school gate and road patrol duty ensuring that the students arrive to school safely.

She then volunteers in the classroom with programmes such as “Early Words” where students from various cultural backgrounds learn to read. With her support in class, her kind and gentle nature has allowed students at Holy Family School to make accelerated progress.

School sports are another passion for Annabell – she coaches and manages every sports team possible, including netball, hockey soccer and miniball teams – driving students to and from games during the week and picking up students that need transport for netball games outside school time. Her contributions mean that many more students have been able to participate in sport and parents have been immensely grateful.

The Council thanks Holy Family School for this well-deserved nomination.

John Te Ārawai Ngāhana-Hartley

Ngāhana was nominated for a Civic Award for his selfless work in the Aotea community.

Ngāhana has been part of the Aotea Residents’ Association since its inception.

For the last three years his main focus has been on conservation, and in particular revitalising Bothamley Park through clearing and replanting. He has also helped to set up Aotea Conservation Volunteers, which is a sub-group of the Association.

Bothamley Park is highly utilised by residents from Aotea, Cannons Creek, Waitangirua and the wider community. Ngāhana and his team have made a significant contribution to the revitalisation of Park. Ngāhana has led work that has involved:

• clearing and maintaining areas within Bothamley Park

• successfully obtaining funding from Wellington Regional Council to help purchase native plants and cover the costs associated with the revitalisation project

• planting well over 1,000 plants

• a range of planned ongoing work.

Ngāhana’s work has meant that future generations can enjoy the area how it’s meant to be, full of native plants and native wildlife.

The Council thanks the Aotea Residents Association for this well-deserved nomination.

Cheryl Brown

Cheryl was nominated for a Civic Award for her selfless work for the Rānui community.

Cheryl has been an executive member of the Rānui Residents’ Association since its formation in 2007.

She is a driving force behind the Association, spending countless hours leading and contributing to a wide variety of projects in the Rānui Village Plan and keeping the community informed by writing the Association’s regular newsletter for residents.

Cheryl is described as energetic and selfless – oozing enthusiasm for Rānui and the whole of Porirua.

Examples of projects that Cheryl has led and contributed to include:

• the Rānui Digital Story project to help preserve the history of the community

• Te Kapata Pukapuka free community library exchange for the younger generation

• a range of environmental projects such as Mungavin Stream/ Rānui Restoration Project, St Martin’s Community Grove maintenance

• Cheryl was also highly instrumental in championing Te Ra Nui, the welcome sculpture for the entranceway into Rānui Village.

The Council thanks Rānui residents Jan Ryan and Erin Cook for this well-deserved nomination.

Jeff Chapman

Jeff has been nominated by three separate groups for a Civic Award. He is described as a community man through and through.

He has been involved in a large number of voluntary initiatives in Titahi Bay and the wider Porirua City, working endlessly for his community. Here are just a few of the community activities Jeff is involved in:

As a governing member of the Titahi Bay Community Group since establishment in 2014, Jeff has been involved in a wide range of initiatives the group oversees. For example, he led the establishment of the Titahi Bay Community Patrol and has been involved in many projects such as Stuart Park restoration and waterway clean-ups.

Jeff was also instrumental in setting up the Titahi Bay Vege Co-op, run in partnership with Wesley Community Action and Regional Public Health to provide cheap fruit and veges to local families. As the service grew, Jeff established a packing hub in Titahi Bay which engages locals to volunteer and which now provides orders for over 130 families a week.

Jeff is a founding member of Te Ara Moana Charitable Trust, established in 2015, which works with the children of Titahi Bay Intermediate, Ngāti Toa iwi and Mana College to deliver a unique programme of water-based activities.

Jeff has also been the key person driving establishment of the GROW group – building a community garden at Titahi Bay Intermediate to assist tamariki to learn practical skills in the garden.

Jeff also serves on the Board of Trustees of two local schools and is heavily involved in a range of educational and sports coaching roles.

In the words of one nominator “his passion is with community – especially for youth and people from lower incomes. He is just a bloody legend!”

The Council thanks the Titahi Bay Community Group; Wesley Community Action; and Te Ara Moana Trust for your nominations.

Dr Elizabeth Sneyd and Craig Utting

Both Liz and Craig were nominated for a Civic Award by Russell School for their selfless work running Virtuoso Strings in Porirua.

Liz and Craig have volunteered their time and expertise to teach violin, cello and viola to over 160 children in eleven low-decile schools in Porirua since establishment of Virtuoso Strings Charitable Trust in 2013.

As well as providing the children with their own instrument at no cost, their work involves running weekly music classes and combined rehearsals for the schools as well as running an open youth and community orchestra based in Cannons Creek.

The exceptional musical achievement of the children is heart-warming to see.

Through providing music lessons and a space to operate as an orchestra, students are equipped with valuable skills for life and taste for self-belief. Older students help younger students and hopefully will become the teachers in their turn.

These children can look forward to exciting and fulfilled musical futures. Several high achieving students have had the opportunity to sit formal music examinations paid for the Virtuoso Strings Charitable Trust.

The orchestra travels to perform at events across the city, region and further afield for special performances.

ENDS

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