South Alive wins top community award

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South Invercargill Urban Rejuvenation Charitable Trust (South Alive) have taken top honours at Invercargill/Southland’s biggest annual celebration of volunteers, the Trustpower Community Awards.

Voluntary groups from around the region gathered with representatives from Trustpower, the Invercargill City and Southland District Councils, and the community at the Civic Theatre tonight to hear how 13 groups and five students are making an impact in their community.

Trustpower Community Relations Representative Alice Boyd said South Alive stood out because of the impact and input of their volunteers.

“South Alive is a community and volunteer-led organisation on a mission to transform South Invercargill into a better place to live and work,” she said. “What they’ve achieved for their community in the five years since inception is pretty remarkable, including their exciting new social enterprise The Pantry. We can’t wait to see what else they’re going to achieve in the next five years.”

For winning the Supreme Award, South Alive received a framed certificate, a trophy, and $1,500 prize money. South Alive will represent Invercargill/Southland at the 2017 Trustpower National Community Awards in April 2018.

Other winners at the Trustpower Invercargill Southland Community Awards:

Youth Community Spirit

  • Winner – Katelin Cotter (Southland Girls’ High School)
  • Runner up – Hamish Thomson (Central Southland College)
  • Finalist – Harmana Kraak (Fiordland College)
  • Finalist – Ben King (James Hargest College)
  • Finalist – Baylee Barrett (Northern Southland College)

Heritage and Environment

  • Runner up – Switzer’s Museum
  • Winner – Korimako Dominican Ecology Centre

Health and Wellbeing

  • Commendation – Coastguard Bluff
  • Commendation – Ohai Volunteer Fire Brigade
  • Joint winner – Bellyful Invercargill
  • Joint winner – Free Haircuts & Other Services

Arts and Culture

  • Commendation – Invercargill Musical Theatre
  • Runner up – Radio Southland
  • Winner – Southland Multicultural Council

Sport and Leisure

  • Runner up – Wyndham and Menzies Rugby Clubs
  • Winner – Winton Skate Park Committee

Education and Child/Youth Development

  • Runner up – ILT KidZone Festival
  • Winner – NRG Invercargill Rotary Club

Supreme Winner

  • South Invercargill Urban Rejuvenation Charitable Trust (South Alive)