Local volunteer groups in contention for awards

Last year's Supreme Award winners, the Empowered Learning Trust trustees Karen Barker, left, Yvonne Hathaway, Mayor Steve Chadwick, trustee Kathy Cane and TrustPower's Graeme Purches. Photo / File

Representatives from the Rotorua and Taupo districts will converge on Wellington this weekend to go head-to-head with the country's best and brightest voluntary groups at the Trustpower National Community Awards.

The awards recognise last year's top volunteer groups and organisations from 27 districts across New Zealand.

Rotorua's Empowered Learning Trust and the Tauhara Community Support Initiative will represent their districts in Wellington.

They will be joined by representatives from 23 other voluntary groups and organisations from around the country who were all supreme winners at their own regional Trustpower Community Awards.

The Empowered Learning Trust aims to remove education barriers for children with learning difficulties, with the help of community and national support.

The charitable trust has helped children with dyslexia, poor eye sight or hearing and their families through the mainstream education system since 2011.

Rotorua representative Karen Barker said members of the trust felt honoured to be ambassadors for their area.

"This event will expose our organisation to other inspirational community groups and their stories, while introducing what we do as an organisation to a wider audience," she said.

Trustpower community relations representative Jess Somerville said both groups "embody community spirit" and focussed on critical areas of collective community health: education and social welfare.

In Wellington each group will present for eight minutes on their achievements while also outlining why they deserve to win the top prize of $2500. Presentations take place tomorrow at the Memorial Lecture Theatre at Victoria University, followed by an awards dinner at Te Papa.

Rotorua district councillor Janet Wepa and Taupo mayor David Trewavas and wife Anna will attend the awards.

Meanwhile, entries are now being taken for the 2015 Trustpower Rotorua Lakes Community Awards. Entries close April 24.