Bay's five community champs set for national finals

The Pride of New Zealand Awards national winners will be announced in Auckland tonight, with finalists representing Hawke's Bay in five of the six categories.

The inaugural awards, supported by the New Zealand Herald and APN regional newspapers with The Hits radio station and TSB Bank, recognise New Zealanders who make the most positive, uplifting and inspiring contributions to their community.

Tonight's ceremony at Auckland War Memorial Museum will announce the overall category winners, and the winner of the TSB Bank People's Choice vote, after regional awards last month.

The 24 finalists representing the upper North Island, mid North Island, lower North Island and South Island will have a dinner at the museum, with live music from Dave Dobbyn.

The five lower North Island regional award winners from Hawke's Bay in contention tonight include Napier's Swannell family, who won the regional Community Spirit Award for running a mobile soup kitchen.

Kiri Swannell said she and husband Kevin were treating the awards as a family holiday. They had driven to Auckland in their eight-seater van with five of their six children. They were being put up in the Pullman Auckland Hotel and planned to visit Rainbow's End and Snowplanet.

"It's our first family holiday all together, so we're going to have loads of fun," she said.

Ms Swanell had never dreamed the family would make the national finals.

"It's all very overwhelming, actually."

The only winner in the lower North Island regional from outside the Bay was Wayne Stevens, of Wellington.

The national awards are judged by broadcaster Judy Bailey, Willie Apiata VC, Sir Peter Leitch, TSB Bank CEO Kevin Murphy and APN New Zealand CEO Jane Hastings.

Once the 24 regional award winners were named, the public was able to vote for their TSB Bank People's Choice winner. Voting closed last week, with more than 11,000 votes received.

Our national finalists

Community Spirit Award: The Swannell Family, Napier, for running a mobile soup kitchen for the homeless in Clive Square.

Bravery/Heroism Award: Wade Kelly, Hastings, for saving four people caught in a rip at Waimarama Beach.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Hai Tong Too, Napier, for being a key advocate for minority groups.

Environmental Award: Kathleen Mato, Wairoa, for her work as Whangawehi Catchment Management Group leader.

Fundraiser: Colin Anderson, Palmerston North, (formerly Dannevirke), who raised over $17,000 cycling for CanTeen.