HUTT CITY COUNCIL NEWS RELEASE

18 SEPTEMBER 2013

Ignite Sport take top honour at Hutt City Community Awards

Ignite Sport, a youth development organisation based in Lower Hutt, has tonight taken out top honours in the 2013 Hutt City Community Awards.

The Supreme Award is given once a year to an organisation that shines in the community. Ignite Sport were recognised for their work delivering programmes to gifted and talented sportspeople in low decile schools who are at risk of leaving school.

“Ignite Sport’s innovative programmes teach high-achieving sports students to make good decisions in life as well as developing their communication and leadership skills and helping them recognise barriers to their success,” said Mayor Ray Wallace, one of the awards judges.

“With Ignite Sport it’s all about improving young people’s behaviour off the field as well as on. In the Hutt that has recently extended to working with refugee students, especially those where absenteeism from school is an issue,” said Mayor Wallace.

Other big winners include Kirsten Garcia and Metaio Malama who each won a Youth Services Award for their outstanding voluntary service.

17 year old Kirsten Garcia’s potential as a leader within the community was identified early. She is particularly invested in the Ball for All, a ball for young people with special needs, which she helped organise in 2011 and 2012.

Shannan King, who wrote in support of Kirsten’s nomination said, “Kirsten is a young woman who is passionate, devoted and staunch when it comes to ensuring that people from all walks of life are accepted.”

18 year old Metaio (Kaio) Malama has a real passion for his community and his peers and has developed into a true leader. Leole Malama of Hutt City Council’s Youth Infusion programme helped nominate Metaio.

She said, “Metaio gives his heart to every project whether it is helping to serve a scone and tea to an elderly person at the Aging Disgracefully Expo, talking in school assemblies about Youth Infusion or putting up marquees at the Tumeke Taita Festival, he is always busy helping at whatever he’s asked to do, or sees needs to be done.”

The Hutt City Civic Awards have been given every year since 1976.

The full list of winners are:

2013 CIVIC AWARDS
Community Service
Roy Cox
Sue Cox

Community Service and Recreation Award
Susan Hare

Youth Services Award
Kirsten Garcia
Metaio Malama

The 2013 Community Awards were also announced on Wednesday 18 September. Those winners were:

2013 HUTT CITY WELLINGTON AIRPORT REGIONAL COMMUNITY AWARDS
Recognising the valuable contributions made by volunteers and their organisations in Hutt City.

Sport and leisure – and supreme award winner
Ignite Sport
Wainuiomata Rugby League Club – runner up

Health and wellbeing
Team Naenae Trust
The Paladin Project Charitable Trust – runner up

Arts and culture
Tumeke Taita Festival Committee
Faultline Chorus – runner up

Heritage and environment
Wainuiomata Pioneer Preservation Society
Historical Society of Eastbourne – runner up

Education and child/youth development
St Michaels School
KidsCan Charitable Trust – runner up

SAFE CITY AWARDS
Recognising outstanding individuals and organisations whose contributions to crime prevention have helped create a safer city.

Alcohol Harm Minimisation
Lower Hutt/Petone Alcohol Accord

Organisation
Āhuru Mōwai O Te Awakairangi

Area Commander Award
Peter Clarke

ENDS

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