Local heroes rewarded for efforts

Katerina Clark is one of the Kiwibank Bay of Plenty Local Heroes and will be awarded today. Photo / Ruth Keber

The Kiwibank Bay of Plenty Local Heroes will be honoured today, and the creator of a local LGBTI youth group will be among those awarded.

Katerina Clark created Tauranga Pryde, an organisation aimed at supporting and empowering young people in the area.

The 24-year-old established the group after she discovered that there was a lack of assistance in Tauranga after she "came out".

"I had all these questions, I had to grow up pretty quickly," said Ms Clark.

Before Tauranga Pryde, the region had no young LGBTI support groups, according to Ms Clark.

She developed the group to help young people of Tauranga who may be dealing with issues of sexuality and gender and needed support.

"I said how do we help these kids?" said Ms Clark.

The group provides a safe space for the 40 to 50 members to meet weekly, discuss topics and listen to guest speakers.

"They can make friends and share the same values," said Ms Clark. "They're not judged, there is no bullying."

Ms Clark was pleased to receive the award, and sees it as a reflection of the Tauranga community.

"It's cool that it's not me getting the recognition, it's the group.

"It shows the community of Tauranga is accepting the group and what we do," she said.

Ms Clark plans to make Tauranga Pryde bigger in the future and is hoping to go through to the national Kiwibank Local Hero of the Year awards.

"That'd be pretty exciting, not just to be noticed in Tauranga but also noticed around the country," she said.

Another Bay of Plenty Local Hero is Hinerua Gray who played a big part in establishing the Te Tomika Trust, an organisation which provides accommodation for people with psychiatric and intellectual disabilities.

Robert McGowan, who has spent more than 20 years researching and teaching Maori the traditional uses of native plants for medicine and has served as a Maori adviser to many government committees, will also be recognised today.

As will David Benton, the clinic director of Hanmer Clinic Tauranga, which provides outpatient alcohol and drug addiction treatment, and co-chairman of the Midlands Addiction Advisory Forum.

The award ceremony of all the Kiwibank Bay of Plenty Local Heroes will be held this Friday, November 20, at Trinity Wharf, beginning at 6pm.