Hardly Seen Hard Workers Get Recognised
DECEMBER 3, 2002

Hardly seen hard workers get recognised

Twenty-two people and organisations who work hard for the good of the community but who are hardly seen have been officially recognised by the city they serve.

The 2002 North Shore City Civic Awards were presented to 18 individuals, a couple, a charity, a community committee and a "big-hearted" motor garage at a special ceremony yesterday (December 2).

Making the presentations, mayor George Wood said the awards were the city's way of turning the spotlight on those who rarely seek it but who do great work for the community.

"This year we're acknowledging outstanding people and achievements from all parts of North Shore City, a place made all the better by the efforts of this army of volunteers and community-minded organisations," said Mr Wood.

The awards scheme features six categories: community (individuals); citywide; youth; charities; businesses; and community groups.

While the city's six community boards selected the recipients of the community awards, the judging panel for the other categories included the editors of local newspapers, the North Shore Times Advertiser and the Shore News, together with Mr Wood and deputy mayor, Dianne Hale.

Mr Wood said contributions to the community were, as always, wide and varied, including the Scouting and Girl Guides movements, neighbourhood watch, Meals on Wheels, and tireless service to the North Shore Hospice.

Of particular interest this year is:

* The first ever award in the youth category to Milford teenager Andrew Treeby of in recognition of his contribution to music events for fellow North Shore young people. He is a strong supporter of the North Shore Youth Council and is an enthusiastic and dedicated administrator of its new website www.shoreyouth.co.nz.

* Recognition for the Bayswater Community Committee, chaired by long-time resident and prolific volunteer Peter McQueen. This group has been around since 1980 and provides a range of advocacy services for its local community.

* Support for neighbouring schools, the Child Cancer Foundation, Koru Care, Lion Foundation and Girl Guides earned Forrest Hill Motors the award in the Commercial (business) Organisation category. Bruce Blair accepted the award on behalf of the company which has been described as "a small business with a very big heart".

Note to editors: The full list of winners is attached along with George Wood's speech notes from last evening. Photos are available on request.

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Award Category
Recipient
Main contributions &/or prime beneficiaries

Community Awards – Albany

Ronlynne (Ronnie) Gurney

North Harbour Softball Rosedale Park; Rosedale Park Sports Trust

Community Awards –
Birkenhead-Northcote

Sarah Metge

Joy Corbett

Pauline Fish
Birkenhead School; Friends of the Library, Birkenhead Historical Society; IHC, CAB, U3A

Birkenhead Kindergarten

Girls’ Brigade Birkenhead & Birkdale

Community Awards – Devonport
Estelle Cassrells

Bruce MacFarlane

Margaret Williamson

Rose Centre; VIC Devonport; Devonport Arts Festival; Devonport Community House; Devonport Ladies Probus; New Devonport residents

Takarunga Playcentre; Devonport Community House; Devonport Arts Festival; Depot Artspace; St Paul’s Presbyterian Church

Girl Guides; CCS; Neighbourhood Watch; Bayswater Boating Club; North Shore Hospice; Bayswater Community Committee; residents of Devonport & wider community

Community Awards -
East Coast Bays

Ian Clouston

Miles Maxted

Nick Niblett

Waterwise

Youth & families of East Coast Bays

Youth & families of East Coast Bays & wider community

Award Category Recipient Main contributions &/or prime beneficiaries

Community Awards – Glenfield
Rosalie Wright

Stephen Mace

Bernie Ash
60s Up Movement Glenfield; Hospice; Wee-Care

Kaipatiki Glenfield Scout Group; Marlborough Scout Group; Mayfield Scout Group; Tauhinu Sea Scout Group; Waitemata North Scout District

Grey Power; Age Concern; U3A; Lions Club of Glenfield

Community Awards – Takapuna

Jean Bartlett

Nancy Emmitt

Barbara Leigh
Author of articles in & editor for “Takapuna – People & Places”

Church group; Parish committee and choir member; Leader – choral group, Bible Class; Guides

Takapuna CAB clientele; North Shore Hospice patients; Trade Aid organisation

City-wide Awards
Tina French

Ross & Joan Finlayson
North Shore Multiple Sclerosis Society; North Shore City 100 Voice Chorale; trainee students

AMES Awards; Meals on Wheels; North Shore Hospice; North Harbour Stadium; North Harbour Netball; ASB Charitable Trust; Masters Games

Youth Award Andrew Treeby
North Shore City youth

Charitable Organisations – Incorporated Societies (non-profit making) Award
Parent Port Incorporated
Potentially all parents/caregivers of pre-school children on the North Shore

Community Groups – Not Incorporated (non-profit making) Award

Bayswater Community Committee
Local residents Bayswater Peninsula

Commercial (business) Organisations Award

Forrest Hill Motors
Northlake District Girl Guides; local schools [e.g. Campbell’s Bay, Mairangi Bay, Forrest Hill]; donations to various charities

SPEECH NOTES
HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR OF NORTH SHORE CITY
GEORGE WOOD

DATE: MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2002
TIME: 5.30PM
VENUE: COUNCIL CHAMBER
EVENT: CIVIC AWARDS

Good evening ladies and gentlemen: award winners, families and friends, distinguished members of the media, Members of Parliament and ARC representatives, fellow Councillors, Community Board Members and Council officers. A warm welcome to this evening’s North Shore City Civic Awards ceremony.

It is my privilege to introduce the Civic Awards which have been North Shore City’s way of saying “thank you” to our community’s unsung heroes every year since 1990.

And it is OUR community, and one I was fortunate to be born into back in 1946 when my family lived in Beach Haven.
As ever, this is a fine city with a great community of people.
You are testament to that and, after all these years, I am proud to still live and work among you.

Tonight, we’re acknowledging outstanding people and achievements from all parts of North Shore City, a place made all the better by the efforts of an army of volunteers, community groups and big-hearted business people with other people in mind.

Volunteers are truly the lifeblood of our towns, villages, cities and country at large. You sustain our communities by the service you give freely, gladly and often over a lifetime.

Businesses with a social conscience who consistently support our community deserve our support in return. We have many fine businesspeople, most of which are North Shore residents, who give back to their neighbourhoods. This is a genuine and enduring commitment from people who understand that customer service is all about looking after people and the environment in which they work and live. This is surely the most effective and truly sustainable business strategy.

For the second year running, Deputy Mayor Dianne Hale and I shared the selection duties with representatives of our local media. This year we were fortunate to be joined by Michael Smith, the Group Editor-in-Chief of Wilson and Horton’s Community Newspapers Group, publisher of the Shore News. Mike, whom I’ve known for many years, is a long-time North Shore resident who brought his parochial passion and professionalism to the challenging task. Thank you Mike for sharing so much of your time and local knowledge with Dianne and I. It is much appreciated.

To all media gathered here I would like to thank you for the part you continue to play in the community, supporting voluntary groups with press coverage and help raising funds. You provide a powerful platform to assist people to help others and, on behalf of my community, I thank you for the way you fulfil that role.

With the media’s help, these awards are the city’s way of turning the spotlight on those who rarely seek it, but who do great work for the community. Tonight’s recipients have been nominated by their peers, who like us, are grateful for what you are doing, and have asked us to formally recognise you.

Twenty-two awards will this evening be presented to individuals and groups who are as diverse as ever, and represent that which is great about their city, our city.

To give you a flavour of what is to come, this year we make our first ever award in the youth category to a multi-talented Milford teenager; we recognise a small business with a big heart and we salute a community group chaired by a man who to me epitomises the spirit of community service.

Peter McQueen chairs the Bayswater Community Committee which tonight receives the Community Group Award. Peter not only serves the people of Bayswater, he has advocated for the interests of people at city, regional and national level on matters environmental, social and educational for many, many years. I am delighted to pay a personal tribute to him here this evening.

All award winners are special, and on behalf of North Shore City, we’d like now to present to each of you a small but sincere token of our appreciation for the time and talents you’ve so willingly given, with no expectation of reward.

Thank you and congratulations to you all.

NOTE: Just to let you know that our photographer will be taking candid shots during the award presentation but official photographs will be taken AFTER the presentations have concluded. So could recipients and elected members please make themselves available at this time. The official photos will be taken in the same order as the earlier presentations.

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