The Western Bay of Plenty is set to honour its remarkable community champions with the announcement of finalists for the 2025 Western Bay Community Awards. 

These annual awards celebrate inspiring individuals, groups, and organisations making a meaningful impact across the community through seven award categories. 

The awards recognise excellence in community events, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, collaboration, volunteering and youth community involvement, and being at the heart of their community.  
 
The 2025 Western Bay Community Awards are made possible through the invaluable support of award partners, including Acorn Foundation, BayTrust, Tauranga City Council, TECT and Western Bay of Plenty District Council. 

The commitment of these award partners to the community reflects the spirit of these awards, helping to highlight and celebrate our local heroes dedicated to positive change.  
 
Mel Tata, Paul Geoghegan, and Vicki Semple formed the 2025 judging panel, which was recently tasked with selecting finalists from a field of over 80 outstanding nominations.

Again, Paul Geoghegan said this year’s nominations blew him away. He always finds it inspiring to see community members and groups' sheer dedication and passion to their chosen area throughout Tauranga and the Western Bay. 
 
“We had some great discussions around the individuals, groups, organisations, events and projects nominated and it was yet again hard to select just a handful of finalists for each category when so many deserve to be recognised,” Geoghegan said.  

“We’re honoured to support the Western Bay Community Awards as a platform that shines a spotlight on the efforts of individuals making a real difference in our communities,” Alastair Rhodes, Chief Executive of BayTrust, said.  

The 2025 awards will have seven categories, and locals can learn about the finalists in an online showcase launching in the new year. This showcase will feature a video introducing all finalists. Community voting for the People’s Choice Award will be open throughout February.

Community Event Award 

• Climate Action Festival 

• Papamoa Light Up the Waterways – Te Ara ō Wairārkei Matariki 2024 

• Te Puna Memorial Hall Harvest Market 

• Toi Kiri World Indigenous Festival  

• Youth Fest 

Sustainable Future Award 

• Friends of Summerhill 

• Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust 

• Outflow Trust 

• The Wednesday Challenge 

• Western Bay Wildlife Trust 

Diversity and Inclusion Award 

• Rainbow Youth 

• Senior Chef – Tauranga 

• Spectrum Connections Charitable Trust 

• STEAM-Ed Charitable Trust 

• Unseen Heroes  

Heart of the Community Award 

• Brave Hearts 

• Good Neighbour 

• Otumoetai Social Supermarket  

• MenzShed Omokoroa 

• The Elms Foundation – Volunteer Team 

Youth Spirit Award 

• Hamish Tanner 

• Justin Russell 

• Kennedy Meads 

• Liam Shanahan 

Volunteer of the Year Award 

• Donna Pferfferle 

• Laurie Sanders 

• Lindi Jones 

• Melvern Wainwright  

• Phil Waters 

Best Collaboration Award 

• Climate Action Festival  

• Kaimai Mamaku Restoration Project 

• Matariki Katikati 

• Te Whānau a Tauwhau and Otawhihi Marae 

• Super Support  

The winners for each category will be announced at the 2025 Western Bay Community Awards ceremony on Thursday, 20 March 2025, where all finalists will be celebrated for their contributions. The awards ceremony promises to be an uplifting evening, bringing together individuals from diverse sectors to acknowledge and applaud the efforts that shape the Tauranga and Western Bay community.