Rotorua boy proud to see his colouring design on Wingspan's new Nissan Navara

A new car for Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust, with a special twist, has been unveiled.

Wingspan and Rotorua's Nicholson Nissan came together and held a colouring in competition for local children, and the selected winner's colouring art is featured on the car.

The new Nissan Navara for Wingspan was revealed on Wednesday, featuring the colouring design of competition winner Nathan Graham, 11.

Nathan says he feels pretty proud to see his design on the car.

He says he has won a colouring competition before, but his mother told him not to get his hopes up - "Then I won the jolly thing!"

"It felt crazy. I danced around the room."

Nathan says the fact he has been to Wingspan before and seen the birds there helped him decide on colours in his entry.

He says he likes the experience Wingspan provides.

"When I did go, I got to hold a falcon on my hand with a glove. It really inspired me."

Dealer principal Brad Antonievic says they received about 200 entries in the end.

He says they had all the entries taped up around the dealership so the three winners could be selected.

Runner-up Adam Dinniss won a custom hoodie and t-shirt with their design, and third-place winner Stephanie Curtis, 12, won a custom hoodie with their design, courtesy of Speedy Signs.

Brad says Nicholson Nissan would look at holding this sort of competition again as the feedback was fantastic.

"The kids obviously loved it and got right behind it."

He says Nathan was in disbelief about how it looked when the car was unveiled.

"He's pretty stoked. I don't think it's every day you win a colouring competition and your art gets put up for the whole of Rotorua to see."

Brad says Nicholson Nissan has supported Wingspan since 2018 and it is a continuous sponsorship.

He says Wingspan is the type of organisation that does what no one else is thinking to do, looking after the native birds of prey here in Rotorua.

Wingspan's supporters are so passionate about what they do, and that support and passion aligns with their values as Nicholson Nissan, he says.

Wingspan director/founder Debbie Stewart congratulated all the winners at the unveiling.

Debbie says the competition helps to bring conservation and education together.

"We are just trying to bring birds of prey into the lives of New Zealanders and celebrate the biodiversity this community has."

Debbie says selecting the winners was hard, and that the children who entered had helped to bring colour to our birds of prey.

She says this was a fabulous initiative and she thinks it is a standout vehicle, which is great for on-road and off-road and helps with their fieldwork.

"Thanks to Nissan and the children. It's an awesome community effort."