On Thursday night, our dedicated community groups and volunteers were recognised at the 2025 Western Bay Community Awards.

Hosted at Holy Trinity Tauranga, the annual awards offer an opportunity to honour our unsung heroes and their inspiring work.

Showcasing the 34 finalists and the nine award category winners, the awards recognise significant impact they make across all areas of the not-for-profit sector. This includes events, environmental projects, collaborative initiatives and individual service.

A highlight of the evening was the People’s Choice Award which received over 2,000 votes this year.

The awards are a partnership between the Western Bay’s five local funders - Acorn Foundation, Bay Trust, TECT, Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

“We are proud to host this opportunity to celebrate our local volunteers and community groups and shine a light on the immeasurable impact they continue to make” says TECT Chairperson, Mark Arundel.

“We thank them for their hard work, time, energy and vision in building happy, safe, and thriving communities. Through their generosity, dedication and commitment, our people and region is stronger and more connected.”

Nominations for the awards opened in September 2024 and the finalists were announced late last year and their stories have been shared through videos in an online showcase.

Community representatives Vicki Semple, Mel Tata and Paul Geoghegan made up the judging panel for the 2025 awards.

Semple says it was an inspiring to learn more about all the hard-working nominees and made for a challenging task deciding on the finalists and winners.

"Our community is fortunate to have so many dedicated individuals who generously give their time and energy. Their vision, passion, and hard work drive meaningful change, benefiting countless others. Their efforts do not go unnoticed, and we are proud to honour their contributions at the Community Awards."

The Western Bay Community Awards winners for 2025 are:

1. Community Event Award – Papamoa Light Up the Waterways – Te Ara ō Wairākei Matariki 2024

2. Sustainable Future Award - Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust

3. Diversity and Inclusion Award - STEAM-Ed Charitable Trust

4. Heart of the Community Award - Good Neighbour

5. Youth Spirit Award - Hamish Tanner

6. Volunteer of the Year Award - Donna Pfefferle

7. Best Collaboration Award - Super Support

8. Lifetime Service Award - Lindi Jones

9. People’s Choice Award - Laurie Sanders

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