top of page
  • Home
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Search

Celebrating Neighbourhood Support Volunteers!

Updated: 3 days ago


Winners Shirley, David and Lois

30 July 2025 – New Zealand


This year for 'Get Involved' month in June, we took part in The Big Shout Out - a Volunteering NZ initiative - to celebrate, recognise and thank the countless volunteers involved with our organisation across the country!


We asked our Coordinators to nominate outstanding volunteers in their local Neighbourhood Support community and we were blown away by the entries we received and found it hard to narrow them down to just 4 winners (one for each week in June). Our winners were gifted with a certificate of appreciation and a thank-you gift from NSNZ 🎁🤍


Read some of the heart-warming nominations below ⬇️


Our first winner was Jane (pictured above) from Hastings, nominated by our coordinator JR. Here’s what JR had to say about Jane:

"Jane is one of the most dedicated street coordinators I have had the pleasure of working with. Her unwavering passion for helping her local community has seen a steady increase in interest and support over the years in NHS. What impresses me most about Jane is her commitment to ensuring that her community is at the forefront to community safety, connectedness and responsiveness is second to none. Not only does she is endorse NHS in her own community but she can often be seen promoting it with her other neighbouring communities. Congratulations Jane, you are a real asset to Neighbourhood Support as well as your community, enjoy the chocolate and prezzy card!"


Next up is Ian from Waitakere, nominated by coordinators Sharon & Sarah.

Here’s what they had to say about Ian: "Ian has voluntarily served Neighbourhood Support Waitakere (NSW) and his community for 17 years to date, he is the main go-to person for the NSW coordinators. He also volnteeers for other organisations he is involved with voluntarily. It would be great for Ian to be ackowledged for his long standing service to our organisation, NS and his community."



Our third winner was Peter from Cambridge, nominated by coordinator Kathy.

Here’s what Kathy had to say about Peter:

"I am pleased to nominate Peter for his outstanding dedication to fostering community engagement in Cambridge. Peter has been instrumental in improving neighbourhood safety, proactively connecting with residents, and encouraging participation in Neighbourhood Support. His efforts have ensured clear, well-maintained signage throughout the area.

Most notably, Peter took it upon himself to map every street, carefully documenting the location and condition of each sign—whether old or new—and creating an up-to-date reference for ongoing management. His commitment has resulted in a well-organized system for repairing and replacing signs as needed, demonstrating his initiative and leadership in strengthening our local community.

Peter’s unwavering dedication makes him a deserving nominee for recognition."



Our final winner was Tina from HAPVRA (Hunua, Ararimu & Paparimu Residents Association), nominated by coordinators Sarah, Maxine and Geraldine. Here’s what they had to say about Tina:

"Tina's work with HAPVRA has gone far beyond expectations — she has taken the lead on developing and coordinating local emergency planning, engaging with all stakeholders including residents, emergency services, and council with care and professionalism. Even filling gift bags for event attendees in her own time. Her dedication to preparedness and safety has already made a tangible difference to our resilience as a rural community.


Tina’s calm leadership, generosity of time, and commitment to making a difference exemplify what it means to be a true community champion. She never seeks the spotlight, but her contributions are felt by everyone involved. We’re proud to nominate Tina as someone who truly goes above and beyond for Neighbourhood Support and the wellbeing of her community!"


Here are some other nominations we just had to share:


  • "Paul comes out with me after a long day at work and on days off and puts up our signs in the community. He has helped me set up for events and will also be doing maintenance on our work vehicle before the next Wof is due. He is a qualified mechanic but will give of his time and skills to support our organisation for free (and source the parts cheaper too). He knows how tight the money is at the moment and uses the time and skills he has to make life a little easier for me and our team. He does all this with a smile, an awesome attitude and usually a dad joke thrown in for good measure." - Kristel, North Taranaki NS

  • "Melissa and Malcolm have developed a comprehensive Emergency Plan for their street.

    Early this year, after first approaching all their resident members, they collated a booklet including critical information such as managing high personal needs, resources (such as chainsaws, generators) and resource people (such as nurses, mechanics).

    All their neighbours now have been given one of these booklets. What a splendid and helpful resource for all! Also, what a practical action by Melissa and Malcolm, that gives such a sense of neighbourhood connectedness and strength. If an emergency struck, the residents would not be watching from the sidelines but would have an important role to play – as part of the Eloise Place team." - Christine, Manurewa NS

  • "I would love to nominate Jennifer, her dedication, kindness, and tireless efforts have made a tremendous impact on our organisation in the Hamilton East/Albert Street area. Jennifer consistently goes above and beyond in her volunteer role, demonstrating outstanding leadership and communication to her group. Her commitment and passion shine through and she is a fantastic representative of Neighbourhood Support." "I am delighted to put forward Karen as a nominee for the volunteer giveaway. She invests tremendous time and effort into her volunteer work, demonstrates commitment and leadership. Her ability to connect with her group and represent our mission with enthusiasm is invaluable." - Nicky, Hamilton NS



- Thank you Jane, Ian, Peter and Tina, plus all of our thousands of volunteers across the country for all your hard work and selfless contributions to ensure Neighbourhood Support continues to thrive in your community!



ENDS

About Neighbourhood Support New Zealand


Neighbourhood Support is a nationwide community led movement that brings people and neighbourhoods together to create safe, resilient, and connected communities. Over 220,000 households are part of our growing network. Neighbourhood Support work alongside NZ Police and other partners to equip neighbourhoods to improve safety, be prepared for emergencies and support one another so that our communities are great places to live.


Address (appointment only)


C/O Police National Headquarters

180 Molesworth Street

Thorndon, Wellington, 6011

New Zealand


Phone - 0800 4 NEIGHBOURS (0800 463 444)


 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page