Wackrow Youth Award's ceremony tonight in Dannevirke

2019 Wackrow Memorial Youth Award winner Samuel Smith.

The winner of the 2020 Wackrow Memorial Youth Award will be named in a ceremony at The Hub tonight.

This year there are five strong candidates - Zane Gatchell, Nicolas Lowe, Chianne Lyford-Shields, James Mollison and Clare Seatter.

This will be the 34th time the award has been presented.

Guest speaker will be Dannevirke businessman and Queen's Birthday honours recipient Suresh Patel while entertainment will be provided by dancer and singer Max Te Huki.

The Wackrow Award is promoted annually to young people of the Dannevirke district. Past winners have gone on to build successful careers and futures.

The award is unique in New Zealand and reflects the calibre of the town's young people.

It is in memory of the late Constable Graeme Wackrow and was presented to the town by his parents in 1987.

Constable Wackrow was killed in a car accident while serving with the New Zealand Police in Dannevirke.

An honours board of the award is displayed in the foyer of Dannevirke Police Station.

The judging panel is made up of five community members who looked at the nominees' community service and their contribution to supporting the work of local voluntary organisations and groups.

This year's judging panel was Dannevirke Police Sergeant Gary McKernon, REAP manager and community representative Claire Chapman, and Dannevirke Community Board members Terry Hynes and Kim Spooner-Taylor and Cr Erana Peeti-Webber.

Judging took place on Monday, August 17, when each candidate faced the judges in a 10-minute interview.

The winner will receive $500 and hold the trophy for a year, second placegetter will receive $300 and third will receive $200.

The event, which starts at 7pm, is hosted by Dannevirke Community Board. Entry is free.