Manurewa’s unsung heroes – its volunteers – have been honoured for their commitment to their community with Manurewa Local Board volunteer awards.
Presented at a special event at the Manurewa Sports Centre in May, 30 people and organisations were recognised across five categories:
Local Hero
For individuals making a difference in the community. This is a person who is always there giving a helping hand when needed.
Young person who makes a difference
Celebrating those under-18-year-olds that demonstrate leadership or have helped their peers.
Group or organisation making a difference
Recognising groups and organisations for their work in the community.
Member of an organisation
Those individuals that make a difference to the organisation they belong to.
Pride in our environment
For those who show leadership in caring for our environment through their positive action to keep our community clean and green.
The biennial awards are a way for the community and the local board to say thank you and put volunteers’ efforts in the spotlight.
Honouring a legend
The local board also announced that a new name will be added to the honours board at Manurewa Library – Sir John Walker.
The honours board was introduced to recognise those who have been outstanding servants of Manurewa for many years.
They are recognised for their loyalty, compassion and hard work in ensuring the residents of Manurewa are cared for and are chosen from those who are proud to call Manurewa their home at some point in their lives.
Find out more about our recipients below. You can also view the photo gallery of the night on the local board’s Facebook page.
Manurewa Local Board Volunteer Award recipients
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Young person who makes a difference |
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Marama Marino |
Marama played the Last Post & Reveille at the Manurewa ANZAC Day Civic Service – her talents adding to the moving atmosphere of the occasion. The 14-year-old also has also played the Last Post & Reveille for the early morning reading of the Ode at the Manurewa RSA on several occasions. |
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Nephi Popata |
Nephi continually shows leadership as a young person as part of What Hope Community Trust. |
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Analina Namoa |
Another talented musician, Analina, 14, played the Last Post & Reveille at the ANZAC Day Dawn Service in Manurewa this year - her first time playing the bugle for a public service. |
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Member of an organisation |
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Patricia Pera |
An outstanding member at the Citizens Advice Bureau. She has been a board member and migrant connect coordinator as well as being involved with youth courts and the local Māori community. |
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Hera Takapuna |
An extremely selfless and passionate member of the Citizens Advice Bureau. She has been a board member, cultural advisor and has demonstrated a commitment to reflecting bicultural understanding in all areas of the organisation. |
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Hamish McMillan |
Hamish has been with the Citizens Advice Bureau for seven years as a board member, publicity officer, budgeter and bureau handyman. |
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Group or organisation that makes a difference |
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What Hope |
An organisation run by volunteers with a passion to inspire hope among Manurewa’s young people. The group runs a variety of free community programmes, activities and outings for young people and operates a social enterprise providing employment, work experience and upskilling opportunities. All profits from this venture are invested back into the community. |
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Manurewa Youth Council |
The youth council is a group of 20 young people aged 12-24 years who work alongside the Manurewa Local Board to engage with the young people of Manurewa and empower them to participate in their community. They have set up a youth space in the town centre called ‘The Space’ for the community to use. |
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Manurewa Playcentre |
Provides early childhood education for tamariki in Manurewa. All of its members are volunteers, with parents and grandparents leading sessions. |
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Citizens Advice Bureau Manurewa |
Providing quality, non-judgmental services that empower its clients, the team uses the information they gather to bring about positive social change at a local and national level. |
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Pride in our environment |
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Diane Wallen Betty Estele Joan Taylor |
This trio likes to get out and walk together each week, and always with a bag in hand to collect loose litter and rubbish from berms and roadsides. These award winners make sure they always report dumped rubbish to the local board for it to be logged and removed too – it’s something they have done for several years and they now inspire other walking groups to do the same. |
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Friends of Totara Park |
For several decades this group has volunteered time to grow plants in its nursery to later be planted throughout Totara Park. Through their efforts, many areas of the park are now well-established ecosystems thriving with birds and other wildlife. |
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Totara Park Mountain Bike Club |
The club builds and maintains tracks in Totara Park that are used by many locals and visitors on bike and on foot. The tracks are in areas of farmland that have been fenced off and planted with native bush. The group also puts in the hard work managing weeds in the park. |
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Mark Beale |
Organiser of community cleanups at the ponds and reserve on Wattle Farm Road. Mark’s efforts regularly see between 50-70 local residents turning out to support these events. |
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Melissa Atama |
Melissa brings pride to Clendon by organising cleanups and projects to beautify the community, such as murals and community gardens. |
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Local hero |
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Tania Webb |
Tania hosts working bees and cleanups and works alongside council as a wastewise facilitator. |
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Kate Loman-Smith |
Kate has worked tirelessly for the waterways of Manurewa. A member of both Forest & Bird and Friends of Totara Park. |
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Melissa Atama |
Melissa leads the Clendon Pride kaupapa that has seen the revitalization of Clendon shopping centre and surrounding community. She also led this year’s Bilingual Hikoi that saw more than 1000 people participate in the kaupapa to revitalize te reo Māori. |
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Ron Hancock |
Plays the drums for the Manurewa Youth Orchestra Jazz Band. Ron does this to nurture a love of music and performance in young people. |
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Shaughan Woodcock |
The man behind the Manurewa Santa Parade. While he is contracted to run this event, he also didn’t hesitate to use his experience and expertise to help put together health and safety plans and other documentation for Pride’s Bilingual Hikoi. |
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Natalia Booth |
An enthusiastic volunteer at Manurewa Playcentre, Natalia is also involved with Hill Park School PTA and organises meetings and fundraisers. |
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George Allan |
George plays the piano to accompany young people taking their music exams. At the end of 2017, he played for 12 learners and allowed his home to be the de facto band room for APO tutoring. |
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Pat Henare |
Coach of the Marlins Rugby League U11 Open & U14 Restricted teams, Pat also referees home games for both teams on Saturdays. |
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Adam Bryce |
Photographer Adam Bryce spent five months of his own time on his book and photo exhibition “Manurewa”, challenging perceptions of people outside of Manurewa. |
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Anna Scanlan |
A long-time volunteer at Manurewa Playcentre, Anna looks after its accounts. She also helps run Manurewa Athletics Club as a member of the committee doing their accounts and running junior athletics practice. |
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Todd Murphy |
A very enthusiastic volunteer for the Hill Park school PTA. He also helps out with training the school soccer team. |
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Irene Archer |
Irene has been a volunteer at Totara Hospice since 1996. She manages the Gardens Hospice Shop and volunteers in the hospice inpatient unit. |
