Focus on leadership as trust awards launched

Leadership was the focus of this week's BA5 event as the Sir Peter Blake Trust launched its annual awards in Rotorua.
Trust chief executive Shelley Campbell was joined by fellow previous recipient Annette Fale of the Halogen Foundation to launch the Sir Peter Blake Trust 2011 Leadership Awards at Skyline Rotorua on Tuesday evening.
"We have a real agenda for launching the national awards here this year. We want to encourage you to put forward your own local leaders and showcase the talent we know is in this region," Campbell told the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce event.
The trust was set up following the death of sailor and environmentalist Sir Peter Blake in the Amazon in 2001. Campbell said the leadership awards, now in their seventh year, were a fitting tribute to Sir Peter.
"We take his unique leadership and use this to raise awareness and to inspire New Zealanders to great things.
"He was, by his own definition, an ordinary Kiwi bloke who believed in his country and the potential of its people - particularly its young people - to achieve great things on the world stage."
Campbell recalled speaking with one of his crew from the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race who said they all knew they didn't have the most expensive boat or the fastest but, through the inspiration of Sir Peter, they knew they could win.
The awards, which consist of one medal and six emerging leader awards each year, specify that recipients must give back to the programme. Campbell said this was part of the philosophy of providing "outstanding Kiwi role models" to mobilise the next generation.
She was an emerging leader award winner in 2010 for her work in the health sector and medal winners include Sir Stephen Tindall, Sir Murray Halberg and Sir Ray Avery, who will be speaking at an event in Rotorua later this year.
Past winners become part of an alumni made up of people from all sectors and walks of life.
"The emerging leaders award is open to people up to the age of 40 who have already demonstrated exceptional leadership potential and a commitment to give back to the community." Halogen Foundation's Annette Fale also attended the event.
She won this award in 2007 for her work with young people - including a youth programme for up to 3000 people held in Rotorua. The event for primary and intermediate pupils will take place on Monday, May 16, this year. Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Roger Gordon said it was great the trust had chosen Rotorua for its awards launch.
"It is very appropriate, when you think about it. We have quite a number of national leaders within our community.

"And we have some truly remarkable young people who are already leaders in our society," Gordon said.

Nominations for the 2011 Leadership Awards open on Tuesday, March 1, and close on Tuesday, April 26.
Winners will be announced at the launch of Leadership Week, which runs from July 1-8.
Information on award criteria and nomination forms are available by following links at www.sirpeterblaketrust.org.