Entries are now open for the 2017 Beautiful Awards

Media Release – Tuesday, 6th June 2017

The search for Beautiful kiwis, communities and places has begun

Entries are now open for the 2017 Beautiful Awards, a Keep New Zealand Beautiful gala dinner and award evening to celebrate environmental excellence in Aotearoa.

If you are a local environmental hero or think your town, city or public toilets are the best in the country send in a nomination by visiting www.knzb.org.nz.

Keep New Zealand Beautiful chief executive officer Heather Saunderson says, “The Beautiful Awards acknowledges beautiful kiwis who are leading the way with their outstanding environmental and beautification work.

“We also celebrate beautiful councils and businesses for the magnificent work they have done and announce the most beautiful street, suburb, town and cities in New Zealand.”

Hastings mayor Lawrence Yule said winning the Most Beautiful City award in 2015 gave the residents a real sense of pride.

"I do believe that we live in one of the most beautiful places in New Zealand and that is saying something, given the entire country is spectacular. Winning the award put a real focus on our special places for both Council and our people."

"I recommend that every town, city and district consider entering. A bonus is being able to use the material prepared for the award across all platforms to share the snapshot of your most wonderful places with your residents and visitors alike."

A new category has been established for businesses, with three new awards up for grabs - Most Innovative Packaging, Most Sustainable Project and Most Sustainable Business.

The 17 official awards across five categories also include Individuals, Community, Places, Towns and Cities.

Nominations are open from today until 6pm on Friday, 1st September.

A panel of judges will be made up of representatives from the Keep New Zealand Beautiful board, education, council/government, community and business sectors.

Winners will be announced at the award gala dinner to be held at Craggy Range Winery, Hastings on the evening of Friday, 13th October.

Tickets are available to purchase at www.knzb.org.nz to all entrants, branches, members, councils and the public. The ticket price includes canapes, a three-course dinner and a selection of beverages.

The five award categories open for nominations are:

Individuals awards category:

• Tidy Kiwi Award – Nominate yourself or someone who you think should be honoured for their voluntary work in litter prevention, waste reduction/recycling and beautification activities.

• Young Legend Award – Nominate yourself or someone you know under the age of 18 who should be acknowledged for their environmental volunteer undertakings.

• Rudd Kleinpaste Award – Calling all Keep New Zealand Beautiful members to nominate a member whose efforts have gone beyond that of what many volunteer KNZB members may undertake.

Community awards category:

• Community Environmental Initiative Award – Entries are open to honour innovative community projects that have achieved exceptional environmental results by harnessing the power of partnership.

• Sustainable Schools Award – Enter your teacher, school or tertiary institution for commitment and environmental projects, which enhanced the school and/or community. This award is sponsored by New Zealand Couriers and the recipient is awarded $2,000 to fund environmental educational activities and programmes of the teacher, school or tertiary institution (and not for construction costs, general expenses, salaries, bonuses, or other administrative expenses).

• NEW award in 2017 - Community Group Award – We invite regional and national not-for-profit community groups who play an environmentally vital role in communities to enter.

NEW category in 2017 - Businesses awards category:

• Most Innovative Packaging – This award recognises and celebrates the most innovative packaging with considerations given to the effect on the environment, material, supply chain, the design and end of life.

• Most Sustainable Project – Nominate your business if you have accomplished an environmental project which is having a positive effect on the surrounding community.

• Most Sustainable Business – There are two award categories for the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Most Sustainable Business Awards.

1. Most sustainable small-sized business with less than 20 staff

2. Most sustainable large-sized business with more than 20 staff

Places awards category:

• Best Loo Award – Enter a nomination if you manage or oversee a public toilet and think it’s the best loo in the country. The award will consider the location, the cleanliness and facilities of the interior and exterior and environment around the loo.

• Best Street Award – Entries are open to celebrate the best street in the country. This award will consider the efforts that have been made for beautification, cleanliness and community pride.

• Kiwi’s Choice Award – Anyone in New Zealand can nominate a favourite spot in New Zealand that has facilities available, is of natural or man-made beauty, cleanliness, popularity and uniqueness.

Towns & Cities awards category:

• Beautiful Suburb – open to all suburbs in NZ

• Beautiful Small Town – Population of 5,000 or less

• Beautiful Large Town – Population of 5,000 – 20,000

• Beautiful City – population of 20,000+

Visit www.knzb.org.nz to enter a nomination, purchase tickets and for further information. Early bird ticket specials are available to purchase from today until Friday, 1st September, from which time standard ticket prices will apply.

ENDS

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