Nominate a group

2025 Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards nominations are now closed. 2026 nominations will open on 1 April 2026.

Award Categories

Nominations are submitted under one of the following categories:

• Arts & Culture - Enhance and increase participation in arts and creative leisure activities.
• Education & Child/Youth Development - Improvement or enhancement of the educational and social development of children / youth.
• Health & Wellbeing - Enhancing the health and wellbeing of our community.
• Heritage & Environment - Improvement or revitalising of the environment, culture or heritage.
• Sport & Leisure - Increase participation and enjoyment in physical sport, leisure activities and recreational pursuits.
• Rising Star award - Designed to recognise and encourage emerging grassroots groups in the community.

Please note these awards recognise community group and organisation volunteers, not individual volunteers.

Judging

Nominations must be made by completing the official online form. Additional supporting information of one pdf document (maximum 6 x A4 pages) and one photo (size 1-10MB) may be submitted with your nomination.

Key factors considered during judging are:

• volunteer input
• utilisation of resources
• innovation and creativity
• effectiveness of activities
• impact within the community
• recent activities (undertaken during the past year)

There are two parts to the awards process: council awards and regional awards.

Council Awards

Within each of the five council regions, a judging panel selects the following:

• 5 x Category Runner-Ups
• 5 x Category Winners
• 1 x Rising Star Winner
• 1 x Supreme Winner

The awards are announced and presented at a function hosted by the region’s mayor. Winners receive a cash prize and a certificate.

Regional Awards

Later in the year, the public will have an opportunity to vote for the finalists in the regional People’s Choice award.

The regional category, People's Choice and Supreme Award winners are announced at an awards dinner hosted by Wellington Airport.

The Supreme Winner will receive a cash prize, an advertising package and a framed certificate, along with a trophy that is held for one year.

*Past Overall Supreme Award winners are not eligible for future awards.

More information or assistance

For more information or assistance with the nomination process, please contact:

Jo Maxwell
Community Awards Manager | Wellington Airport

E: jo.maxwell@wellingtonairport.co.nz