Dargaville mum becomes first North winner

Dargaville chartered accountant Kathryn de Bruin has shown she can stand tall beside her city colleagues after being the first Northlander to win a prestigious accountancy award.
The Young Chartered Accountant of the Year Award for the Northland/Auckland region has previously only been won by Aucklanders.
The now 36-year-old mother of three won the prize, awarded by the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants, jointly with Auckland accountant Matt Prichard.
"Going for this was a personal thing and not done for public recognition. Although in saying that, I am proud of having won it," she said.
The application involved submitting a CV, names of referees and a 1000-word application.
She was one of six finalists who went through a one-hour interview before a judging panel.
Mrs de Bruin has qualified to go to the national finals in Wellington on October 27.
The awards were given for personal and community involvements, as well as their vocational achievements.
Mrs de Bruin is on the Board of Trustees of the Dargaville Primary School, she helps with the Toy Library and is involved in sports clubs and playgroups.
She also helps clubs and organisations set out their criteria for getting funding from funding groups.
Mrs de Bruin said being a working mother and having her children at her office was normal.
"I've had my youngest daughter Amy with me ever since she was a baby," she said.
Her husband, Andre, said he was proud of his wife for being a Dargaville girl who attended the local high school, lived rurally and could still compete with her city colleagues.