Invercargill Recognises Five Dedicated Volunteers with Civic Awards

• Invercargill Civic Honours Awards return after nearly a decade to celebrate community heroes.
• Five recipients acknowledged for their significant contributions to social, cultural, economic, and environmental wellbeing.
• Awards highlight selfless volunteer work benefiting Southland’s community wellbeing.

The exceptional dedication of five Southlanders to their community was celebrated at the Invercargill City Council’s Civic Honours Awards. The awards, which had been on pause for nearly ten years, made a comeback in 2024 to acknowledge those enhancing community wellbeing across social, cultural, economic, and environmental spheres.

Mayor Nobby Clark emphasised that reinstating the awards was a tribute to individuals who significantly contribute to making the city a wonderful place to live. He praised the award recipients for their unwavering commitment to their communities, often without seeking recognition.

The 2024 Civic Honours Awards recipients include:

• Kathryn Morrison and Douglas Black: Honoured for their environmental and social contributions through their volunteer work at Bush Haven. As the sole full-time voluntary staff at Bush Haven, based in their Ōtatara home, they rehabilitate injured native birds, including kererū, tūī, and korimako (bellbird), among others. They are the primary resource for bird recovery care in Southland.
• John MacManus: Recognised for his social and cultural contributions through his lifelong volunteer service to scouting and IHC. John has been involved with various Scout groups in Southland for over 60 years, serving as a positive role model and mentor to many children.
• Pam McKee: Awarded for her dedication to social wellbeing through her work in health and fitness for the elderly. For more than 35 years, Pam has led aqua aerobics and fitness classes across several community venues, also transporting necessary equipment herself.
• Peter Swain: Celebrated for his social and economic contributions through his volunteer efforts with Foodbank. Peter has been pivotal in establishing and maintaining the Southland Foodbank Charitable Trust since 1991, providing emergency food assistance to hundreds of families.

The awards ceremony, held at the Civic Theatre on Thursday, 6 June, saw each recipient receive a certificate and badge from Mayor Nobby Clark.