Media release, for immediate release, 21 March 2013

Countdown Begins To National Community Awards
West Coast Groups Prepare To Tackle The Country’s Best

In just a few days three West Coast community groups will be going head to head with the country’s best and brightest voluntary groups and organisations at the TrustPower National Community Awards.

The 2012 TrustPower National Community Awards are being held in the Far North District from 22 - 24 March 2012.

Three groups from the West Coast have won the right to attend the National Community Awards. They are the Runanga Community Swimming Pool Trust representing Grey District, the Kumara Racing Club representing Westland District, and the Mokihinui-Lyell Backcountry Trust representing the Buller District.

The three groups won the right to represent their regions at the TrustPower National Community Awards by winning the Supreme Award at their regional TrustPower Community Awards.

Joining the three groups at the National Community Awards will be representatives from 21 other voluntary groups or organisations from around the country that were named Supreme Winner at their regional TrustPower Community Awards.

At the National Community Awards, the three West Coast organisations will each give an eight minute presentation on what the group has achieved and why they deserve the title of TrustPower National Community Awards Supreme Winner. The groups will be judged on that presentation, along with a 1,000 word summary on their organisation.

The presentations will take place on Saturday 23 March at the Turner Centre in Kerikeri, with the Winner and Runner-Up being announced at an Awards dinner that evening being held at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

TrustPower Community Relations Representative Jess Somerville says all three West Coast organisations have spent many hours preparing what are promising to be fantastic presentations on their achievements.

“The West Coast community should be really proud of what these three groups of inspirational volunteers have achieved and what they contribute to their communities. They will make wonderful ambassadors for the West Coast community at the TrustPower National Community Awards,” says Miss Somerville.

Attending the National Community Awards from the Runanga Community Swimming Pool Trust is Sarah Van Looy, along with Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn and his wife Lynne. The representatives from the Kumara Racing Club will be Pat Fitzgerald and Joan Meates, along with Westland District Mayor Maureen Pugh and her husband John. The Buller District will be represented by Phil Rossiter and Marion Boatwright from the Mokihinui-Lyell Backcountry Trust, along with Buller District Mayor Pat McManus. John Green from the Denniston Heritage, Supreme Winner of last year’s TrustPower National Community Awards returns as an independent judge

The TrustPower National Community Award Supreme Winner will take home $2,500, a framed certificate, a trophy and a $500 voucher from Exult, a leading and specialist training provider for the community sector. The Runner Up will receive $1,500, a framed certificate and a $200 voucher from Exult.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell:
On Syria

Since the Arab Spring began, the rebellion in Syria has been the only one to evolve into full scale civil war, and still is the only conflict with the potential to shape the politics of the entire Middle East.

The future stability of Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and even Turkey is now resting on the outcome – and at the level of global politics, Russia and the US are currently headed for the negotiating table, to try and find a diplomatic solution to this holy (and unholy) mess.

A war that the Assad regime seemed to be on the brink of losing a few months ago, is now far more evenly balanced. More>>