Bay finalists up for Pride of NZ Awards

Pride of NZ finalist Chrissy Jefferson with a Kereru. Photo/file

Bay residents Chrissy Jefferson, Shirley Sparks and Susan Tukaki are among some of the regional finalists for this year's Pride of New Zealand Awards.

In the environment category, Chrissy Jefferson and Shirley Sparks have been recognised as well as Susan Tukaki in the Lifetime Achievement category.

The Pride of New Zealand Awards, sponsored by The New Zealand Herald, The Hits radio station and TSB Bank, aims to celebrate those Kiwi volunteers, campaigners, fundraisers, care givers and other heroic people who go above and beyond for others.

The regional judging panel included Silver Fern netballer Maria Tutaia, ecostore founder Malcolm Rands, Hospice New Zealand chief executive officer Mary Schumacher, the Weekend Herald and Herald on Sunday editor Miriyana Alexander and The Hits announcer Polly Gillespie.

The overall national award winners will be selected from these regional finalists by a panel of esteemed judges, including NZME chief executive officer Jane Hastings, TSB Bank chief executive officer Kevin Murphy and Sir Peter Leitch.

Mr Rands said: "One of the most enjoyable aspects of being a judge has been how inspirational these people are. I'm constantly humbled by the 'local heroes' who day in and day out perform selfless acts, just because it is the right thing to do."

Mary Schumacher said: "I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the judging panel for this year's Pride of NZ Awards and working with my fellow judges was a fabulous experience.

"Seeing the huge variety of ways in which New Zealanders are contributing to their communities every day made the judging process extremely challenging but also very heart warming.

"I congratulate everyone who was put forward."

Voting for the TSB Bank's People's Choice Award will commence on Monday, August 17 with the winner from the public vote announced at the prestigious national Pride of New Zealand Awards ceremony on the evening of 16 September.

Yealands Wines have committed to be an official event partner for 2015.

Visit www.nzherald.co.nz/prideofnzawards to read nominees and finalists' stories.

The Pride of New Zealand Awards can also be found on Facebook: PrideOfNZAwards and Twitter: @PrideOfNZ with people encouraged to Tweet using #prideofnz and #prideofnzawards.