The Rotorua Museum 'Outside the Walls' Walking Tour guides will join the country's best voluntary groups at this year's Trustpower National Community Awards.
The awards take place in the Queenstown Lakes region from April 13 to 15.
The Rotorua Museum guides are representing Rotorua Lakes at the prestigious awards – an honour they won after being named Supreme Winner at the Trustpower Rotorua Lakes Community Awards last year.
GuidesJulie Parsons and Heather Willis will attend, along with Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick.
Joining them will be representatives from 24 other voluntary groups or organisations from around the country named Supreme Winner at their respective regional Trustpower Community Awards.
This includes the Edgecumbe Volunteer Fire Brigade, representing the Whakatane District.
Groups will give an eight-minute presentation sharing their story, their achievements, and why they deserve the title of the Trustpower National Community Awards Supreme Winner at the awards.
They will then be judged on their presentation, along with a 1000-word summary they provided.
Guest judges this year include Volunteering New Zealand chief executive Scott Miller, TVNZ Good Sorts creator and presenter, Hadyn Jones, and previous Supreme Winner, Janice Lee from Koha Kai.
The presentations will take place next Saturdayat the Queenstown Memorial Centre.
The winner, runner up and recipient of the Whetu Mataiata Award will be announced at an Awards dinner that evening at the Kawarau Bungy Centre.
Trustpower community and communications advisor Alice Boyd said the Rotorua Museum 'Outside the Walls' Walking Tour guides had put together an inspiring presentation.
"We first met this group at the Trustpower Rotorua Lakes Community Awards last year and were impressed by their Kiwi ingenuity.
"The way the group of 25 volunteers quickly learned about all different types of information to share as hosts, from the history of the buildings, geology, battles in the area, to the plantings and pruning of trees, was pretty inspiring and we can't wait to hear more of their story on the national stage," Boyd said.
The Supreme Winner will take home a custom-made trophy by local Glenorchy artist, Dan Kelly, $4000 in prize money, a framed certificate, and a $1000 consultancy voucher from training providers Exult.
The runner up will receive $2500 in prize money, a $500 Exult voucher and a framed certificate, while the Whetu Mataiata Award recipient receives a framed certificate and a consultancy service package from award sponsor, Exult.
Meanwhile, entries are now being taken for the 2018 Trustpower Community Awards. Anyone can enter a group and all voluntary groups and not-for-profit organisations are eligible. Entries close May 31. Visit here.