Hastings District Council launches annual Civic Honours Awards

(From left) Henare O'Keefe, Hastings district councillor; Neil Hatcher, former recipient of the Hastings Civic Awards; Sandra Hazelhurst, mayor of Hastings; Peggy van Asch; and Bert Lincoln, former recipients of the Hastings Civic Awards. Photo / Paul Taylor

Nominations for the 2018 Hastings District Council Civic Honours Awards will open to the public on March 1 and close on March 31.

A launch to acknowledge the opening was held last night at the Hastings Art Gallery, with past recipients gathering together.

The first Hastings Civic Honours were awarded in 1988, and over the last seven years alone more than 60 individuals and groups have been recognised for their efforts to help make the district a wonderful place to live.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the awards were one of the most important parts of the year, as they were able to "recognise and celebrate the incredible community members who make a difference and make us who we are in Hastings".

"Without the volunteers providing their hours of service, we wouldn't be the great place that we are. We are incredibly proud to have so many in Hastings."

Hastings District Councillor Henare O'Keefe said the deserving recipients were the backbone of the city - "they are the one's who hold it all together".

"They are selfless and they put their own lives on hold sometimes to their own detriment because of serving other people."

Nomination forms will be available from March 1 at the district's three libraries (Flaxmere, Hastings and Havelock North); from the council's office at Lyndon Rd, or online at: www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/our-council/about/civic-awards. The presentation of the awards will be at a formal event in the Hastings District Council chambers on June 27.