Community Service Awards

The Clutha District Community Service Awards is an annual event recognising groups, individuals, and a year 13 student in the community who are doing great volunteer work for the Clutha District.

Winning recipients in each of the Community Group areas will receive $1,000 and the Supreme Winner of that group will receive an additional $2,000.

The recipient of the Youth Community Spirit Award will receive $750.

The awards are in three categories:

Individual awards: people can nominate an unsung hero in the Clutha community.

Youth Spirit Award: for a year 13 student who has greatly contributed to their school and community during their time as a student. Anyone can enter a student for a Youth Spirit Award (including the student themselves). The award is open to all Year 13 students, and multiple entries from the same school will be accepted.

Community Group Awards: For community groups that have achieved a special project in the past 12 months of benefit to our district under one of the following categories (can self-nominate):

Heritage & Environment - improve and revitalise the local environment, culture or heritage.
Health & Wellbeing - to provide services that enhance the health and social wellbeing of people.
Arts & Culture - enhance and increase participation in arts and creative leisure activities or improve community culture.
Leisure & Recreation - increase participation and/or enjoyment in physical leisure activities and recreational pursuits or provide support to participants.
Educational & Child/ Youth Development - improve and enhance the education of the community, or the educational or social development of children and youth.

The awards are presented annually at a formal ceremony.

For more information please contact Council on 0800 801 350 or help.desk@cluthadc.govt.nz .

The awards (previously the Trustpower Community Awards which were disestablished in 2018), have been picked up by the Clutha District Council and will continue as the Clutha District Community Service Awards.

2024 Awards

Our Clutha District Community Service Awards for 2024 were held on Thursday, 11 July 2024 at the Te Pou Ō Mata-Au Clutha District War Memorial and Community Centre.

Recognition was given to the following award winners:

Supreme Winner: Clutha Gold Cycle Trail Extension Committee

Individual awards: Rachel & Ash Prasad, and Kevin Sutton

Youth Spirit Award: Anna Harrex of the Lawrence Area School (accepted by Anna's family on her behalf), and Ollie Shore of South Otago High School (combined winners)

Community Group Awards:

Heritage & Environment - Papatowai Forest Heritage Trust
Health & Wellbeing - Milton Elder Care Trust and Special Olympics South Otago Trust (combined winners)
Leisure & Recreation - Lawrence Domain Volunteer Group
Educational & Child/Youth Development - Balclutha Primary School Whanau & School Committee

Click here to read more about the work that these deserving recipients have been doing in our communities.

2023 Award recipients

Award recipients in 2023 were Evan Dick, Edward Fitzgerald, Pam Keddell, Jill Wallace, Graham Walker, Hans Van Der Linden, Sven Captjin, Te Whare Puawai o Tokomairaro Inc, Lovells Flat Women’s Institute, Tokomairaro Toy Library, Tokomairaro Junior Netball Club, West Otago Rural Kids and Waihola Looking Forward.

2022 Award recipients

Award recipients in 2022 were Nathan Baldwin, Simon Cleverley, Francis Parker, Murray Paterson, Arthur White (posthumous), Dale Wyber, Mari Chacapna, Blessed Box Charitable Trust, Clutha Budget Advisory Support and Clutha Parks Trust.

2021 Award recipients

Lawrence Skate Park committee, Murray Harris and Marilyn Redditt were presented with Clutha District Council Community Awards for 2020 formally acknowledging their community service to the district.The Youth Community Spirit Award was awarded to Sophie Ruffell.

2020 Awards recipients

Gay Bloxham, Gloria McHutchon, Janet Noah, Joyce Beck, Kerry and Jeff Seymour were presented with Clutha District Council Community Awards for 2020 formally acknowledging their community service to the district.

The Youth Community Spirit Award was awarded to Annabelle Philps and Sydney Robertson.

2019 Awards recipients

Finlay Abernethy, Peter McPherson, Stu Michelle, Ila Ryan, Chris Shaw, Dawn Smith and Helen Keen were presented with Clutha District Council Community Awards for the 2019 year.