The Pride awards - in association with the Herald, TSB Bank and The Hits radio station - were announced last year during the newspaper's 150th birthday celebrations to honour unsung heroes around the country.
Nominations opened in mid-May and saw more than 700 nominations come through. The most popular category was the Community Spirit Award, which attracted significantly more nominations than any other category.
The Herald has profiled many of the nominees from May up until last month.
There were tales of extreme hardship, acts of bravery and people making personal sacrifices to help the public, animals and the environment around them.
Nominees ranged from the very young to the very old and from all walks of life.
Giana-Lee Moore, an 8-year-old from Gisborne, was among the youngest nominees in the competition and was later named a Lower North Island regional finalist for the Bravery and Heroism Award.
She saved her 4-year-old sister when the car they and their mother were in lost control and plunged into a shallow river. Giana-Lee freed her little sister from the partially submerged vehicle and carried her up the river bank, before returning for her mother.
Whangamata music teacher and artist Tony Howse is a national finalist in the Environment category for spending nearly every weekend, over two years, building a walking track through bush in the Karangahake Gorge.
The track is now used regularly by members of the public and for tours for local schools.
Another nominee, Otahuhu College chemistry teacher Roshni Gounder, lost her battle with cancer about a month after she was featured.
Mrs Gounder - affectionately known as Mama G - was nominated by her senior chemistry class in the Community Spirit category after she continued to attend classes and give extra tutorials in between her chemotherapy appointments.
Even weather man Philip Duncan, head analyst for WeatherWatch, got a nomination from a member of the public who appreciated his passion for the job.
Judges for this year's awards include former news anchor Judy Bailey, VC holder Willie Apiata, Mad Butcher Sir Peter Leitch, radio host Polly Gillespie and Silver Fern Maria Tutaia.
