Nominations for the 2022 Porirua Civic Awards are now open.

The awards, which recognise outstanding volunteer work in the community, will take place at a special ceremony on 17 May.

"The Porirua Civic Awards acknowledge and honour the massive impact our volunteers are making in our city - their work is especially valued in these challenging pandemic times," says Porirua City Mayor Anita Baker.

"I want to urge everyone to take the time to nominate our local legends who are the embodiment of the Porirua spirit - those who jump in to help and support the different needs in our community without asking anything back.

"The nominees we’ve had in previous years are inspiring due to the leadership, sacrifice, devotion they display. It makes me proud to see those nominations come in."

Mayor Baker says that the awards are a high-profile way to recognise the varied and important work volunteers carry out, with more than 100 residents receiving them since they were first introduced in 1993.

People can be nominated for volunteering in the areas of the environment, children and young people, social services, cultural activities, recreation, the arts, older adults, education, other suitable services.

"From helping to fundraise for neighbourhood support and residents’ associations, our Rotary and Lions clubs, to running community events, there is so much that happens in our city that just wouldn’t be possible without the time they give."

"Times are tough, and the ongoing pandemic has added another layer of challenges for our community. Please take the time to nominate a local hero that has done a great job this past year to lighten the load and embody the community spirit that we know exists in Porirua," says Mayor Baker.

Entries close on 21 February. Details of the awards, a guide on how to make nominations, and the nomination form, are available from the Porirua City website: https://poriruacity.govt.nz/civic-awards.

© Scoop Media