Celebrate your COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS!

Volunteers are the heart and backbone of any community and now, Whanganui District, it is your chance to recognise volunteers across the board! Whanganui District residents have the opportunity to recognise the dedication of their local voluntary groups – with entries for the Trustpower Energy Direct Whanganui District Community Awards now open. Run in partnership with the Whanganui District Council, these Awards are open to all voluntary groups and organisations working to make the beautiful Whanganui District a better place to live.

Anyone can enter a voluntary group or organisation for the Trustpower Energy Direct Whanganui District Community Awards – voluntary groups and organisations can even enter themselves.

Since the Trustpower Energy Direct Whanganui District Community Awards began in 2013, more than $15,000 has been given away to deserving voluntary groups and organisations, and this year more than $5000 is up for grabs.

Last year over 100 entries were received for the Trustpower Energy Direct Whanganui District Community Awards. Trustpower Community Relations Representative Kathlene Cook was blown away by the response but still believes there are many more voluntary groups out there who deserve recognition for the immense community work they do.

“The Whanganui District is made up so many smaller communities that are doing massive and incredible things for everyone around them. The volunteer groups in every community power their people and they deserve some praise and some recognition – something they will never ask for themselves!

Whanganui District is filled with so many talented, resourceful, creative, innovative and hardworking voluntary groups who support this community in a multitude of ways. You might think you don’t know any volunteers but you just have to walk down to the local sports field, into the library, go along to any community event, visit a gallery, or see the many voluntary run transport services zooming by to be in the presence of volunteers and all they bring.

Many activities, events, projects, programmes, sports, and services are available thanks to this region’s hard working volunteers. But often they are not recognised for the invaluable work they do.

Through the Trustpower Energy Direct Whanganui District Community Awards, our aim is that even more groups surface that are doing amazing things for the benefit of the entire community. It is their time to be recognised.

Now’s your chance to say ‘thank you’ to these volunteers who work hard to improve your community – just by filling out an entry form. It takes just a few minutes of your time to enter a voluntary group but it will be an enormous boost for the group you are recognising,” says Kathlene.

Entry Forms for the Trustpower Community Awards are available from Council offices or service centres or can be completed online atwww.trustpower.co.nz/communityawards or on the Trustpower Community Facebook page. Entry Forms can also be received by calling Kathlene Cook on 0800 87 11 11.

The awards cover five categories; Heritage and Environment, Health and Wellbeing, Arts and Culture, Sport and Leisure, and Educational and Child/Youth Development. Category winners receive $500, runners-up receive $250 and the Supreme Winner will take home $1,500 and an all-expenses paid trip to the 2016 Trustpower National Community Awards being held in Rotorua in March 2017. Last year’s Trustpower Energy Direct Whanganui District Community Awards Supreme Winner were the Friends of the Opera House.

Entries for the Trustpower Energy Direct Whanganui District Community Awards close at 5pm on Friday 19 August 2016.

ENDS

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