2022 Regional Winners
Every year, Wellington Airport and the five local councils come together to recognise the work carried out by community groups in the wider Wellington region in the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards. The focus of the awards is to celebrate volunteers for their valuable contribution to society.
Congratulations to the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards 2022 - Regional Winners
- Supreme Award: Kiwi Community Assistance
- Arts and Culture: Hutt Multicultural Council Inc
- Education and Child/Youth Development: Paekākāriki Surf Lifeguards
- Health and Wellbeing: Kiwi Community Assistance
- Heritage and Environment: Energise Ōtaki
- Sport and Leisure: Coastguard Wellington
- Rising Star Award: Silver Noodle Soup
- People’s Choice Award: Āhuru Mōwai Trust
Watch the videos below to find out more about the 30 winning groups from around the region:
Āhuru Mōwai Trust
Āhuru Mōwai Trust provides safe spaces for families who have children with special and extra needs. They advocate for and partner with local businesses and community facilities to make spaces more accessible and tailored to sensory needs. Their vision is to provide options for families to make their world bigger, not smaller.
Arohanui Strings
Arohanui Strings mission is to create social change through the power of music. They offer free music lessons in-school and after-school, along with performance opportunities to Wellington children who probably wouldn’t otherwise learn to play a string instrument. They believe that all children have the right to a high-quality musical education.
Christians against Poverty
Christians Against Poverty work to release New Zealanders from debt and poverty into lives of fullness and freedom. The Lower Hutt Debt Centre supports people in the community with unmanageable debt through financial education, budgeting and insolvency services. They have helped 158 families become debt free and the centre is currently supporting 49 families on this journey.
Coastguard Wellington
Coastguard Wellington is the 100% volunteer run charity saving lives at sea. Their team of around 70 highly trained volunteers provide the primary maritime search and rescue in New Zealand. They are dedicated to helping those in need, ready to drop everything and go at a moment’s notice.
Cycle Safe Porirua
Cycle Safe Porirua is a family and community friendly cycling programme open to all people regardless of age, ethnicity, and gender. Their vision is to build people’s confidence in cycling in a safe and fun environment, and achieve positive environmental, social and health benefits.
EkeRua ReBicycle
EkeRua ReBicycle is all about getting people on bikes and learning to ride. Their volunteers upcycle donated bikes (over 2000 so far) and carefully match them with people requesting bikes. Through events and programmes they build bike skills and confidence. They believe everyone deserves to access work, education and social situations without travel being a burden on them.
Ekta
Ekta (meaning unity) empowers and provides a platform for ethnic volunteers to give service to the wider community. Activities include running Wellington’s only ethnic food bank, food rescue and cooked meals for those in need, interfaith activities, and capacity building seminars. They believe as migrants that citizenship is a privilege that is earned through giving back.
Energise Ōtaki Charitable Trust
Energise Ōtaki connects Ōtaki’s power source - its people - with energy projects that help make healthy environments. They partner with organisations and volunteers to reduce energy poverty, waste and climate emissions, and boost renewable energy systems. Initiatives include bike upcycling, home insulation, tree planting, energy education, repair cafes and Aotearoa’s first community-owned solar farm.
Food 4 Thought
Food 4 Thought is a grassroots community group who start and support many local projects and actions around food sources, waste, and the natural environment. They host regular workshops and free table exchange events where excess food, produce, seeds and resources are swapped or given freely. Their volunteers love working together to make a real difference and have lots of fun and laughter doing it!
Friday Food Share
Friday Food Share are volunteers from Waikanae Anglican Parish and the local community who donate time, money and food. Every Friday they stock and open a simple free food shop. Their aim is to remove any shame or distress from the process of asking for and receiving a food parcel. They welcome everyone, every week, sharing what they have with whoever comes.
Fuel the Need
Fuel the Need provides lunches for children in Upper Hutt schools who regularly attend without food. They have planned the menu with help from Life Education Trust and purchase groceries from Pak N Save Upper Hutt. Their team of dedicated volunteers make and deliver nutritious lunches each day. Fuel the Need are helping children reach their full potential by helping fueling their body and mind.
Hutt Multicultural Council
Hutt Multicultural Council promotes and celebrates cultural and ethnic diversity in Hutt City. They showcase the cities diverse cultures, collaborate with like-minded organisations and actively make submissions on policy matters affecting ethnic communities. They bridge the differences and celebrate the similarities between the many ethnic communities that call Hutt City home.
Hutt Valley Fencing
Hutt Valley Fencingis a Sword Fencing Club catering for all ages, genders and fitness levels from beginners through to international competition level. They teach self-discipline, leadership, mentoring skills and situational awareness. They are passionate about fencing as a great sport to keep fit, hone your reflexes and have lots of fun.
Kāpiti Softball Club
Kāpiti Softball Club are a family friendly club serving the local community for over 40 years. Their dedicated volunteers coach, umpire, fundraise and care for the grounds and club rooms. Junior development is a key focus for the club with over 150 junior members, and their have-a-go days and tournaments for local primary schools are enjoyed by thousands of local children.
Kiwi Community Assistance
For over 10 years, Kiwi Community Assistance, (KCA) has strived to alleviate food poverty and inequality with a hand up, not a hand out. As a one-stop hub their volunteers have distributed essentials including food (335 tons), clothing (4805 banana boxes), furniture and whiteware through their 80+ charity partners to where it's needed in the community.
Ngā Hau E Whā O Wainuiomata Marae
Wainuiomata Marae is a community-based marae. Their vision is to enable rangatahi to re-connect to the marae and their whakapapa and engage with Kaupapa Māori. Through Ngā Hau e Wha, their new Māori sport club they encourage physical activity, healthy lifestyles and participation in Māori sporting events. They teach haka, waiata and karakia, host noho marae and provide role models and community connection to inspire the leaders of tomorrow.
Ngā Manu Trust – Practical Conservation Studies Course
Ngā Manu is a Nature Reserve that focuses on the conservation of Aotearoa’s native wildlife and ecosystems. This year Ngā Manu, Waikanae Rotary and Paraparaumu College collaborated to develop a unique hands-on educational program for Year 13 students considering careers in conservation. Their vision is to inspire the next generation of conservation leaders to take action for nature.
Ngā Uri o Whiti Te Rā Mai Le Moana Trust
Ngā Uri o Whiti Te Rā Mai Le Moana Trust is a proudly Māori and Pasifika organisation bridging disparity gaps for Rangatahi and Autalavou. They promote Pacific and Māori Reo, cultural identity and self-development, encourage wellbeing and safety, growth in education and employment. Their programmes include Rainbow creatives, Flourishing Garden of Knowledge, Cultural and Creative Arts, and Community Services. They empower young people of the moana to reach their full potential.
Nourish @ Christmas
Nourish know Christmas can be a challenging time for some families and they want to make life a little easier for them. So, they connect with all Wellington region primary schools to offer families doing it tough a large hamper of food to help ease some pressure. The hampers contain fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs, pantry staples...and some treats. Their team of 100 dedicated volunteers have provided almost $700,000 worth of groceries (and counting).
Paekākāriki Station Precinct Trust
The Paekākāriki Station Precinct Trust is a group of passionate volunteers who bring history and culture into everyday life in Paekākāriki. They provide information, stories, murals, and education, along with other supporting activities. Their kaupapa is to attract visitors to the village and ensure they have an enjoyable & interesting visit.
Paekākāriki Surf Lifeguards
Paekākāriki Surf Lifeguards is a volunteer club that has been patrolling the Kapiti Coast for over 100 years. They have a large active membership of junior surf “Nippers” and senior members (14 years+) and offer competitive training squads for surf sports. They encourage children to have fun and develop their skills, so they can enjoy the beach and one day might be able to save someone else too.
Pareraho Forest Trust
Pareraho Forest is a sanctuary, a place to bump into neighbours, to play, to learn, and to sit in the sun. The local community cares for the forest and each other. They create tracks and spaces where locals and forest meet. They grow trees, birds, and children. They make a small contribution towards a simple, but rich, way of living, a sustainable future with more gratitude for the wonderful place we live in.
Porirua MenzShed
Porirua MenzShed is a place for the community to collaborate and enjoy social interaction. They recycle local resources, fix or upcycle furniture, and manufacture items including pest traps, picnic tables and bird feeders. Their bountiful gardens supply a local foodbank with vegetables each week. Through sharing the skills and enthusiasm of their members they provide strong environmental and heritage benefits for the community.
Silver Noodle Soup
Silver Noodle Soup are a theatre and film-making company of young disabled people, tutors and videographers. They run drama workshops, make movies and perform live in venues like Bats Theatre and events like Disability Pride Week. They love acting, singing, meeting new people and making films together.
The Motorcycle Collective
The Motorcycle Collective are a community DIY motorcycle workshop. It’s a place where riders can gain access to tools and learn new skills, and where anyone with two wheels and a motor can find belonging. They take their workshop trailer around the region and run bike nights, rides, mechanics courses and other events to get riders together and add value to the rider community.
The Voyage – Te Roopu Tiaki Rangatahi
The Voyage – Te Roopu Tiaki Rangatahi is a collective of rangatahi from Porirua who work to catalyse, push and encourage change in areas where youth otherwise tend to fall through the gaps. They are passionate about change in our community, bringing out the best in young people and helping strengthen our leaders of tomorrow by providing a platform to share their thoughts and concerns.
Trentham Memorial parkrun
Trentham Memorial parkrun, is a fun, free timed 5km run or walk, on a Saturday morning. It's a welcoming and inclusive experience - whether you walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. There's no time limit and no one finishes last. Together they learn new skills, improve fitness, enjoy the great outdoors, make new friends and feel part of the local community.
Womble Inn
(Womble Inn - an ode) They are open when they are open, when they are closed that’s it. They run on fun and laughter, for everyone’s benefit. If you fancy helping out, then come on in. If you want to make a difference Womble Inn is where you begin. No-one has titles, as no-one gets paid, it’s their communities centre, where connections and friendships are made.
Womble Inn Facebook Page
Writers Plot Bookshop
Writers Plot is the only physical bookshop in New Zealand dedicated to independent Kiwi authors. They actively encourage new authors with writing groups and courses and assist authors with publishing advice and help. Writers Plot believes New Zealand writers are undervalued, and they need an outlet and audience. Their shop provides a friendly space that aims to help them on their writing journey.
Terms & Conditions
- Competition closes 9am Monday 7 November 2022.
- Entry is by placing a vote via the online entry form. Only one vote will be accepted for each person. You can vote for a group you are a member of.
- The community group that receives the most votes will receive a $2,000 cash award plus a digital advertising package to the value of $10,000 at Wellington Airport (advertising dates to be agreed subject to availability).
- One random prize draw will be held to select a winning voter who will receive a $250 shopping spree at Wellington Airport.
- The People’s Choice award winner will be announced along with the other Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards at the celebration dinner on Thursday 17 November 2022.