Community Groups Recognised for Their Work

Five voluntary groups were recognised for their services to the community at a ceremony in the Spine at Pataka last night.

Porirua City Mayor Nick Leggett congratulated all finalists in the local round of the regional Wellington Airport Community Awards.

“We have a fantastic array of dedicated community volunteers here in Porirua. Their work makes a huge difference to the lives of many in our city and also contributes to that special sense of community in Porirua that we enjoy. It's great to be able to thank our volunteers formally through these awards."

The overall winner for Porirua City is the Porirua Vikings Rugby League Community Club who also won the Educational and Child/Youth Development category.

The other category award winners that go through to the regional finals in October are: Bellyful (Health and Well-being), Asert-Tatou Development Trust (Heritage and Environment), Porirua Little Theatre (Arts and Culture) and Wellington Riding for the Disabled (Sport and Leisure).

Wellington Airport Chief Executive Steve Sanderson added his congratulations.

"Volunteers in our community, and the work they do, are vital for the Wellington region. We want to make sure that they are recognised and celebrated for their dedication and hard work."

The winners will go on to attend the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards on Thursday 18 October at Wellington Airport.

Porirua Vikings Rugby League Community Club is a family –oriented club involved in a number of community projects with 83 volunteers providing coaching, managing, transport services for league teams. They also work with Whitireia "Education to Employment" programmes, Drive Safe, No to Violence and cleaning and beautification of Ascot Park. The club was named 2011 Grassroots Club of the Year out of 167 rugby league clubs in New Zealand. This was presented at the NZRL annual awards last November for their on-field achievements and off-field community involvement.

Bellyful is a national not-for-profit organisation helping mums when they need it most by delivering frozen, precooked meals to families with newborns and those struggling with illness.

Asert-Tatou Development Trust works with people who are unemployed or who have a disability. It runs two 18-week NZQA-accredited horticultural training courses and runs public workshops on organic horticulture. The trust runs an income-generating scheme, Te Rito Organics, which enables former students who are unemployed to work as a collective to gain income from growing and marketing organic produce. The trust also provides places for people with disabilities to work in the gardens.

Porirua Little Theatre has provided theatre and the opportunity to be involved in community theatre for the past 60 years. Many who have been a part of PLT go onto pursue professional work on stage and screen and behind the scene technicians. PLT has entertained Porirua audiences producing musicals, plays and pantomimes. They enjoy 80-100% occupancy and have become an integral part of the community.

Wellington Riding for the Disabled provides therapeutic horse riding programmes for people with disabilities including epilepsy, downs syndrome, paralysis, cerebral palsy, autism, spina bifida, hearing and visual impairment. They cater for people of all ages.
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