COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR
Acknowledge groups and organisations working together to build better communities. The Community of the Year Award provides groups with an opportunity to be recognised for their achievements and contribution to their communities.
These groups share a strong sense of community spirit, which plays a vital role in enhancing the social, economic, cultural or environmental prosperity of their region. It is important to recognise and encourage these groups as their efforts make our communities stronger and more vibrant and promote true community spirit for this and generations to come.
2012 Winner - Paeroa Community
2011 Winner - The Gibbston Community Association of Central Otago
2010 Winner - Victory Village
For more information about the winners please click here.
2012 Mitre 10 Community of the Year
Paeroa Community
There is more to the Hauraki town of Paeroa than a certain famous fizzy drink.
Determined not to fall into decline as so many small towns do when faced with an increasingly mobile population and lack of opportunities, Paeroa has countered this with an active and successful events calendar and enhancement of its heritage attractions to actively promote Paeroa as a place to live, work and do business.
Fast becoming iconic events, the Paeroa Highland Games & Tattoo, Battle of the Streets, Wild Food & Wine Fest, jazz, arts and sporting weekends attract visitors and encourage participation by the locals at all levels. The creativity of the people of Paeroa is endless with vintage rally’s, an eco walking festival and even a water ski race adding to an extensive calendar.
As Paeroa is located on a busy road linking the Waikato with the Bay of Plenty, a priority was to encourage the thousands of passersby to actually stop in the town. This was achieved by upgrading the look of the town, maximising the towns heritage and encouraging retail diversity amongst the local business community.
At the heart of this community really lies with the large number of volunteers whose can-do attitude has seen the town develop to be a safe and vibrant community. The contribution and energy of a large number of groups is in contrast to the small population.
It is this strong sense of community that is the key to the towns continuing growth and proves what can be achieved when residents share a common goal and work together harmoniously.
2012 Mitre 10 Community of the Year Finalists
Canterbury Charity Hospital
Christchurch
Christchurch Charity Hospital aim is to provide a community-funded and volunteer-staffed hospital in Christchurch, New Zealand. This is to provide free selected elective healthcare services to patients in the Canterbury region who were otherwise unable to access treatment in the public health system or afford private healthcare. Established in 2004 the hospital performed its first operations in 2007. By the end of 2009 115 volunteer health professionals and 79 non medical volunteers had worked at the hospital, provided a total of 966 outpatient clinic appointments and performed 610 surgical procedures. An amazing successful example of professional volunteerism; a model that could be developed elsewhere.
As a result of the Canterbury Earthquake in February, the Charity Hospital provided a counselling service. They have given 1400 appointment with 58 volunteer counsellors involved in giving this service! They have purchased the building next door to provide more services. This includes a community dental service to operate 3 days a week plus an endo unit twice a week. Part of the top floor is a teaching facility which will be available for community use. At present this is still to be completed but they hope to be functioning in the near future. 2011 has been a very busy year for the hospital and its volunteer staff.
Paeroa Community
Paeroa is famous for its iconic soft drink “Lemon and Paeroa” but the heart of this community really lies with the large number of volunteers whose can-do attitude has seen the community develop to be a safe and vibrant community. The contribution of a number of groups has meant that Paeroa host a number of events throughout the year and is fast becoming known as a tourism destination as well as the “Antiques Town of New Zealand”. Some of the groups involved are The Paeroa Community Support Trust, Positive Paeroa, Paeroa Promotions Trust, Paeroa Highland Games Trust, Life Education Trust, Paeroa Lions, Paeroa Lions and numerous sporting clubs.
Asian Events Trust
Wellington
Asian Events Trust (AET) is a charitable organisation that was set up to organise the Wellington Chinese New Year Festival. The event is funded each year through grants and sponsorship from various organisations and licensing trusts. The Festival engages a high level of participation and support from the wider Wellington community – Chinese and non-Chinese, with whom the Trust coordinates to produce a colourful and vibrant event that celebrates the most important festival in the Chinese calendar. Since the inaugural event in 2002, the Festival has quickly established itself as a major cultural event in the city’s event calendar. In 2011, an estimated 35,000 people attended New Year festivities, comprising locally born and overseas Chinese as well as Wellingtonians of all ages, backgrounds and cultures. From small beginnings the event has evolved into a Festival that comprises three major events spanning two weekends with wide audience appeal.
The Mitre 10 Community of the Year 2012 winner will be announced at a public gala Awards event in Auckland on Thursday 16th February 2012.
2012 Mitre 10 Community of the Year Semi-Finalists
Camp Quality New Zealand
Christchurch
Camp Quality NZ is a not for profit organisation dedicated to bringing fun, hope and happiness to children living with cancer.2010 marked its 25th year of providing week-long summer camps and year-round support to children living with cancer. The first camp was held in West Auckland in January 1985 and attracted 22 youngsters from throughout New Zealand. Now days around 300 children annually attend one of five regional summer camps nationwide. In addition to regular activities a number of events have taken place around the country marking 25 years of Camp Quality in each region.
Project Lyttelton
Lyttelton, Christchurch
Project Lyttelton is a grassroots community group bringing about its vision, “Lyttelton – portal to Canterbury’s historic past, a vibrant sustainable community, creating a living future.” Its values based way of being is as important as the projects it produces: love in action! Project Lyttelton is a model of a successful organisation that has adapted to change and is embracing cutting-edge thinking. It undertakes many interconnected projects such as the Lyttelton Farmers Market, festivals, Lyttelton Time Bank, Lyttelton News, local food production, education, spray-free public spaces all to ensure resilience for the area and hope for the future. The Project Lyttelton Timebank played a significant role post-earthquake in creating a path forward to build a stronger community.
StarJam Charitable Trust
StarJam is a not-for-profit organisation based in Auckland creating national and international performance and limelight opportunities for young people with disabilities.
Known as "Jammers," StarJam kids gain respect, confidence, empowerment, new friends, new hope and new purpose within a fun and inclusive atmosphere. Wildly positive change affects not just them and their families but their peer groups and the wider "able-bodied" community. Since its inception eight years ago, more than 500 young people have been through the programmes, motivating and inspiring more than 15,000 audience members.
Waitakere Indian Association
The Waitakere Indian Association (WIA) was formed in 2000 and provides for the ethnic needs of culture, language and values of the Indian community in Waitakere. WIA has been and is working with the City council and other NGO agencies in promoting events that allow the Indian community to share their culture and traditions with the rest of the community in Waitakere City. Since formations WIA has organised the Diwali Festival of Lights ten times, the Holi a Festival of Colours six times, eight Children’s concerts, two sports events, social networking events and regular activities of monthly senior meets, business networks and it has run a school to cater for Indian language, cultural, drama and music needs.
Hawea Community
The Hawea Community has excelled over the past two years in responding to a growing population, with a need for improved facilities, services; and maintaining community spirit whilst at the same time working tirelessly to preserve the unique and beautiful natural environment of the area. The Hawea community stands out from the pack because of the huge volunteer input that has been poured into the community to achieve a number of goals. Some of the projects achieved include building a house using entirely volunteer labour, extending the children’s playground, raising 1.55m to extend the community centre, establishing and operating green waste recycling, the development of a foreshore reserve, establishing a village newspaper, initiating a campaign to overcome freedom camping problems, instituting an ANZAC Day dawn service and raising $13,000 to support a cancer sufferer.
YMCA Central
Wanganui
2012 is a very special year for YMCA Central as it marks their centennial year. YMCA Central is a charitable trust which delivers camping, outdoors, leadership, health, fitness and education programmes in Wanganui, Palmerston North and their surrounding areas. They pride themselves on helping to build strong children, strong families and strong communities, who work harmoniously together to create a safe and caring society. They also support the holistic development of all people with specific emphasis on youth and generating health in mind, body and spirit. YMCA central’s diverse range of programmes have over 70,000 participants annually with participants ranging from 0-98 years of age.
Manurewa Community
The outside perception of the Manurewa community is often a negative one but it is really an engaged and committed community who are working hard to reverse this perception and to provide a positive living environment. Many of the residents put forward hundreds of hours to help the community in a variety of different ways. To name a few organisations helping out there is the New Foundations Trust who provide mentoring for students to motivate and enable them to be willingly and actively engaged in education; the Manurewa Business Association, who are focused on addressing both the perception and actual levels of safety within the town centre; multiple resident groups such as the Weymouth group and the Wattle Downs group, who ensure the community is seen and heard as well as organising many community initiatives; and sports organisations such as the Manurewa Marlins Rugby League club who bring a sense of pride and identity to their members and aim to instil key values of respect, teamwork and fairplay.