Media release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, 4 April 2014

It’s time to celebrate Upper Hutt’s community groups

It’s official—the Wellington Airport Upper Hutt Community Awards are now open for 2014 nominations.

UPPER HUTT, Wellington NZ, 4 APR 2014— Has your community group, club or collective achieved something astounding in the last year? Are you delivering an awesome service or opportunity for the people of Upper Hutt? Do you deserve some recognition?

Nominations for the Wellington Airport Upper Hutt Community Awards officially opened on 1 April. This year Upper Hutt City Council would like to encourage the community to get behind the cause and nominate as many of our hardworking community groups as possible. Upper Hutt city is filled with a vast array of not-for-profit organisations that give significantly to the community, and this is your chance to celebrate and acknowledge the importance they play in making this city a great place to live.

The awards are separated into five different categories: Heritage and Environment; Health and Wellbeing; Arts and Culture; Sports and Leisure; and Education and Youth Development. Awards and prizes will be presented at a Mayoral reception on Tuesday 19 August.

Each of the category winners will receive $1,000, and again this year there is a $250 prize going to the runners up. An additional $1,000 will be awarded to Upper Hutt’s supreme winner. All category winners will be invited to represent Upper Hutt and attend the regional awards.

Upper Hutt’s 2013 supreme award went to the Lighthouse Family Home for Girls. Spokesperson, Paul Thompson said that the award has had many benefits for his organisation. “Winning the Community Awards in 2013 has helped the Lighthouse Girls Home to raise our profile in the community, which has enabled us to tap into other funding and support services that we previously had not known. The prize money was also a huge help, as it has helped to update our TV sets for the digital switchover, which we would not have been able to afford to do otherwise.”

If you know a community group from Upper Hutt that could benefit from being part of these awards, then help them out by nominating them. You may nominate any not-for-profit group, club or organisation that works in the interest of the community, and you are allowed to nominate your own group. There is also no limit to the number of nominations one person can submit.

“Last year we had a record 41 nominations, which made for an exciting ceremony and a positive, celebratory occasion. Last year’s nominees are welcome to be nominated again, and we have set ourselves a target of 50 groups ultimately being represented on the night.” says Community Services Manager, Debbie Duncan.

Nomination forms are available at the Upper Hutt City Library and Council’s main reception, or at www.upperhuttcity.com/wellington-airport-community-awards. Nominations close 30 June.

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