Far North biggest winner

'Kaibosh,' a Wellington project that connects sources of surplus food with charities than can deliver it to people who need it but can't afford to buy it, was named TrustPower's 2012 national community award winner at Waitangi on Saturday night.

Runner-up was the Mokihinui-Lyell Backcountry Trust, which since 2006 has been developing an 85-kilometre dual-use trail (the Old Ghost Road) in the Buller district.

Twenty four mayors from across New Zealand arrived in Kerikeri, with representatives of their local TrustPower supreme award winners, for judging for the national award, and Far North Mayor Wayne Brown had no doubt as to the biggest winner of the weekend.

"TrustPower had been running these nationwide awards for several years now, and it was great to finally have them on our patch," he said.

"The finalists and the mayors stayed at the Copthorne Waitangi, took the opportunity to visit former award winner the Bay of Islands Railway Trust at Kawakawa, the Turner Centre in Kerikeri, a previous local winner, was the venue for the judging and the presentations were made on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

"It was a wonderful weekend, and our visitors thoroughly enjoyed being here in warm weather and lovely surroundings.

"Following a beautifully presented breakfast at the Pear Tree, they visited the Stone Store Basin where a delightful group from the local kindergarten entertained them with waiata.

"It is surprising how few of New Zealand's regional leaders have actually been up this far," he added.

"I've made them all promise to explain to central government representatives that just going to Whangarei does not mean you have talked to the Far North, or even got to Northland."

The national winner, Kaibosh, from Wellington, had come up with a disarmingly simple and effective role as broker between businesses throwing out food that still had a day or so to run before it could not be used and charity groups seeking food to distribute to their members.

"This could be taken up elsewhere; Kaibosh are happy to spread their skills," Mr Brown said.

"Others, such as Keep Rotorua Beautiful, had easily-transferred messages such as using those with spare time to 'womble' the town picking up rubbish and spread the don't litter gospel that too many of our residents have missed.

Our finalist was Te Mira, the Mill Gym at Kaikohe, which aims at getting the young and disaffected into training and healthy living. This was a strong contender, possibly only let down by the lack of financial support from within their own town of Kaikohe. Most of their funds seem to come from Kerikeri business people.

"The real winners though will be our tourism operators, as all the visitors vowed to come back again and remind their constituents that you don't need to travel offshore to enjoy warm weather, great beaches and warm hospitality."