New Zealand Local Hero of the Year

Tower

New Zealand Local Hero of the Year

Tower

New Zealand Local Hero of the Year

Te Pou Toko o te Tau

CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE

2025

Finalists

This award acknowledges those whose actions have had a significant and lasting impact in their communities. These quiet champions don’t wait for change – they create it. With conviction, care, and follow-through, our Local Hero recipients reflect the Aotearoa we all want to live in.

Nominees of this Award must:

Be an individual, duo or whānau/family who has made (or is making) a significant contribution to their region, town, suburb, community (be it geographical community, or community of specific interest), iwi, or local group.
Have had significant impact over the last 12 months.
Be a role model for New Zealanders and highlight selflessness for their community.
Meet Awards Conditions of Entry.

Judging Criteria

Judges will review each nominee using the following criteria:

10 points: OVERALL INSPIRATION:
Describe the person (or people) you are nominating and what they’ve done to inspire you over the past year to nominate them as New Zealand Local Hero of the Year Te Pou Toko o te Tau.
10 points: PURPOSE:
Who benefits from their work, contribution, or influence – and how?
10 points: LEADERSHIP:
How do they set a positive example for other members of their local community?
10 points: COMMITMENT:
Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to create an impact to this point (this may still be ongoing). What have they done that has gone above and beyond to show leadership, create change, and give back?
10 points: PROVEN IMPACT:
How have they clearly demonstrated a positive impact in their local community? (be it geographical community, or community of specific interest).

Conditions of Entry

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How do the New Zealand Local Hero Awards work?

All Local Hero nominations are divided up into their regions across Aotearoa.
Nominations for each region are then sent on to the panel Local Hero Judges for that area, for their consideration – who score the nominees based on the criteria above.
The top 100 (highest scoring) Local Hero nominees across New Zealand will be honoured as the Local Hero Medallists.
The 100 Local Hero Medallists will also go forward into the next round of Awards judging, to be considered for the national title of New Zealand Local Hero of the Year Te Pou Toko o te Tau. The 10 semi-finalists for this national title will be announced in December, the top three finalists in February, and the ultimate winner will be revealed at our Awards Gala in March.

2025

Semi Finalists

Gary Mitchell

Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara

Gary Mitchell is a tireless environmental leader whose three decades of voluntary mahi have transformed communities and ecosystems across Aotearoa and abroad. Founder of Predator Free Grenada Village and Grenada North, he has mobilised more than 400 volunteers, removed over 19,000 pests, installed hundreds of traps and bird feeders, and planted thousands of native trees to restore habitats and bring back native wildlife.

Gary’s vision and energy reach far beyond his own backyard. He established the first international Predator Free chapters in Scotland, has led 324 coastal clean-ups across seven countries removing over 250 tonnes of rubbish, and contributes citizen-science data to guide national plastic-waste policy. Locally, he chairs Keep North Wellington Beautiful, leads riparian restoration through Friends of Belmont Stream, and serves as a volunteer Senior Honorary Fisheries Officer. Gary leads from the front – planting, trapping, and teaching – proving that practical action and shared kaitiakitanga can change both places and people.

Dr Jeremy Tātere MacLeod

Hawke′s Bay Te Matau-a-Māui

Dr Jeremy Tātere MacLeod is a distinguished Māori leader, reo revitalisation strategist, and grassroots visionary who has dedicated his life to strengthening identity, belonging, and cultural integrity across Aotearoa. Born to Māori parents and raised in Australia, Jeremy’s journey back to Aotearoa in 2004 to reclaim his language and identity has inspired many. His leadership, founded on cultural fluency and integrity, spans across marae, iwi, and national platforms, including his transformational role as Director of Reo, Tikanga & Mātauranga for Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated from 2010–2023.

Today, Jeremy serves as a Commissioner on Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, advises iwi and government through his consultancy Kauwaka, and mentors rangatahi and whānau through kaupapa such as Te Pōkaitara and kōhanga reo. His vision for revitalisation is long-term and whakapapa-driven – restoring dialect, tikanga, and cultural vitality for generations to come. Respected across iwi and communities, Jeremy exemplifies leadership born of service, integrity, and a commitment to building a future where te reo Māori and Māori culture flourish.

Megan Fairley

Otago Ōtākou

Megan Fairley has spent the past five years at the heart of her Ōtepoti Dunedin community, championing mental health and wellbeing across Aotearoa. Every Saturday – rain, hail, or snow – she can be found in the old Cadbury’s carpark, fundraising alongside her small team of former Cadbury staff known as Project Hope and Beyond. Rising before dawn, Megan organises the team, manages gear and donations, and keeps supporters connected through social media – driven by compassion, resilience, and an unwavering belief in helping others.

Through her leadership, Project Hope and Beyond has raised over $100,000 for charities including I AM HOPE, Gumboot Friday, Life Matters, Cyclone Gabrielle relief, Ronald McDonald House, and Movember. Despite personal loss and adversity, Megan continues to lead with empathy and grace. Her work reminds us that kindness and connection can change lives.

Nielsen Family

Taranaki

The Nielsen family, rooted in Conductive Education Taranaki, embody the spirit of community service and philanthropy. Kevin, the organisation’s dedicated Treasurer, is often seen behind the BBQ at fundraisers, alongside his wife Karin, whose whimsical ‘Mad Hatters’ events have garnered a legendary status. They have passed this fervour to their son Craig, a co-founder and board member, and his wife Megan, who commits countless hours to fundraising efforts. The younger generation, Zak, Noah and Jed, follow suit, volunteering at every opportunity. Zak, a user of the service, has been a significant catalyst in mobilising large-scale fundraising efforts.

Their impact extends beyond Conductive Education Taranaki, branching into other community-centric organisations. Kevin serves as President for Riding for the Disabled, while Karin has been a stalwart volunteer at a Hospice shop for 23 years. Craig and Megan tirelessly advocate for awareness and support for Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome, further exemplifying the Nielsen family’s unwavering commitment to bettering their community.

Fauzia Bashir

Otago Ōtākou

Fauzia Bashir’s journey is one of extraordinary courage, resilience, and service. Once a pioneering lawyer and one of Afghanistan’s first female judges, she fled her homeland after the Taliban took her teenage son, arriving in Aotearoa New Zealand as a refugee. Despite the trauma of loss and the challenges of learning a new language and culture, she rebuilt her life while supporting other migrant and refugee women.

For more than 15 years, Fauzia has been a steadfast leader with Shakti, advocating for women experiencing family violence and helping bridge cultural understanding as a trusted advisor to Dunedin Police. Unafraid to challenge injustice and patriarchal norms, she has become a powerful voice for women whose stories often go unheard. Her tireless dedication to service and her unshakable moral courage have transformed countless lives and made her a guiding light for women and migrant communities across Aotearoa.

Rachel Hill

Northland Te Tai Tokerau

Rachel Hill is the CEO, Chair, and Co-Founder of Taimahi Trust, a social enterprise she has grown from a humble coffee cart into a thriving organisation that now employs 12 people and has transformed the lives of nearly 30 whānau living with intellectual disabilities. Along the way, the Trust has also provided food and support for people doing it tough in Whangārei, proving that its impact reaches well beyond disability inclusion.

Alongside leading Taimahi, Rachel coaches others through challenges like anxiety, depression, and workplace bullying, drawing on her own experiences of resilience as a full-time carer for her son and ex-husband. Her mahi is about more than creating jobs – it’s about restoring dignity, purpose, and opportunity. In all she does, Rachel is building a more connected, compassionate community in Te Tai Tokerau.

Māhera Maihi

Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau

Māhera Maihi (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua, Muriwhenua) is a courageous and compassionate leader, dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty and homelessness in Aotearoa New Zealand. Raised in a whānau of 11 in South Auckland, her firsthand experience of housing insecurity inspired a lifelong commitment to creating change. After a career in social work, she founded Mā Te Huruhuru, a kaupapa Māori organisation delivering housing, education, workforce, and suicide-prevention programmes for rangatahi. Her most recent project – a 10-bedroom complex in Ōtāhuhu – provides safe, stable accommodation and wraparound support for young people experiencing homelessness.

Despite limited resources, Māhera continues to advocate for long-term, systemic solutions that uphold dignity and equity in housing. Her leadership, grounded in empathy, lived experience, and relentless determination, brings hope to countless whānau and challenges Aotearoa to do better.

Peter Adams

Marlborough Te Tauihu-o-te-waka

Peter (Pete) Adams is a stalwart of Taskforce Kiwi, a New Zealand-based volunteer disaster relief organisation, where his dedication and leadership have been instrumental in supporting communities in crisis. Born and bred in Te Tauihu-o-te-waka Marlborough, Pete’s background as a New Zealand Police officer in Auckland, Christchurch, and Tūrangi has equipped him with essential skills which he now utilises in disaster relief. Notably, Pete’s recent leadership during the severe weather events and flooding in Tasman exemplifies his unwavering commitment to support those in need.

Beyond disaster response, Pete plays a key role in Taskforce Kiwi’s growth and improvement. Despite the threat to his own home, he volunteered during the Tasman floods, demonstrating his ‘service before self’ ethos. Internationally recognised for his professionalism, he has led multinational volunteer teams in crisis situations in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. His actions have inspired others to serve, leaving a lasting legacy within the disaster relief sector.

Leighton Clarke (Uncle Tics)

Waikato

Leighton Clarke, widely known as Uncle Tics, is a trailblazing digital creator and disability advocate who has helped reshape the conversation about disability in Aotearoa. With more than five million followers on TikTok, he uses humour, honesty, and storytelling to break down misconceptions about Tourette’s syndrome and spark understanding. Over the past year he has extended that impact through his podcast, opening up conversations about lived experience, mental health, and inclusion.

Leighton’s work goes far beyond entertainment – it has brought visibility to Tourette’s syndrome, challenged stigma, and given voice to a community often overlooked. His courage in sharing his own experience has inspired millions to approach disability with empathy and curiosity, fostering a culture that is more open, inclusive, and informed.

Terri Middleton

West Coast Tai-o-Poutini

Senior Constable Terri Middleton embodies the spirit of community service, dedicating over 30 years to protecting and uplifting her community in Māwhera Greymouth. Since joining the New Zealand Police in 1991, Terri has tirelessly worked to prevent child abuse and family harm, orchestrating drug education initiatives and providing support to numerous young individuals in and out of the academic setting. As the West Coast’s school community officer since 2002, she has unfailingly delivered education and prevention programmes to every school within the region.

Terri’s compassion and leadership are not limited to her police duties. She has selflessly volunteered thousands of hours to local charities and sporting clubs, serving as Chair of the West Coast Blue Light branch. Notably, she has forged connections with the Gloriavale community, ensuring vulnerable young people can access essential support and opportunities. Terri is a beacon of humility, selflessness, and dedication, relentlessly striving to make her community safer and stronger.

Previous

winners

Subash Chandar K

2025

Sally Walker ONZM

2024

Dr Ellen Joan Ford (nee Nelson)

2023

Dave Letele

2022

Shannon Te Huia

2021

Nick Loosley

2020

Pera Barrett

2019

Ricky Houghton

2018

Hayden Smith

2017

Selwyn Cook

2016

Billie Jordan

2015

Cecilia Sullivan-Grant MNZM

2014

Jim Morunga

2013

Henare O’Keefe

2012

Billy Graham MNZM

2011

Sam Chapman

2010

Thanks to our generous sponsor whānau
that make the awards possible

Contact
office@nzawards.org.nz
media@nzawards.org.nz

PO Box 1158
Christchurch 8140 New Zealand

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