Kōkiri Marae Pataka Kai come out top in Hutt City Community Awards

9 Jul 2021

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Last night Kōkiri Marae Pataka Kai were announced as Hutt City’s Supreme Award winners in the 2021 Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards.

Kōkiri Marae provides a holistic community service encompassing education, health initiatives, cultural and spiritual values, and aspirations. During the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, the group established Kōkiri Marae Pataka Kai to provide further support to the community at a time of food uncertainty. As part of the initiative, volunteers have been delivering food parcels and essentials to those in need around Lower Hutt and beyond, even offering a contactless delivery service during the lockdown, all for zero cost.

As the initiative has grown, volunteers now run and maintain the garden, pack food boxes, sew garments and curtains and run a little second-hand store to help supplement some of the cost.

Teresea Olsen from Kōkiri Marae Pataka Kai said “We were provided with an awesome opportunity during Covid and that was to provide kai to our community. Our community stepped up and supported us during that time to gather pack and deliver food throughout the Wellington region.  Thank you to Wellington Airport, Wellington Community Trust and all the other nominees who contribute much to our community”.

Wellington International Airport, Wellington Community Trust, and the five local councils come together to recognise the work carried out by community group volunteers in the wider Wellington region.

The winners announced at last night’s event, hosted by Hutt City Council, will join other successful groups from around the region for the award finals in November.

Wellington Airport’s Manager Brand and Sponsorship, Jo Maxwell said “It’s great to be kicking off the first of our five council award functions and recognising all the wonderful ways Hutt City community groups have been supporting their communities. This year we received more than 270 nominations from across the Wellington region, more than we’ve ever had before, which is testament to the Kiwi spirit, particularly when you consider the challenges Wellingtonians have faced over the past 18 months.

We are looking forward to recognising and celebrating the achievements of all our community group finalists over the next few weeks”.