Civic Awards

Join us in celebrating the amazing volunteers who make our city great. This is your chance to nominate someone you know who deserves to be recognised in our community. Nominations close on  18 June 2023.


About the awards

The Civic Awards acknowledge people who have volunteered their time to services that benefit residents or organisations in Lower Hutt.

Recipients receive a certificate and silver medal presented to them by the Mayor at Lower Hutt’s Volunteer Awards celebration.

There are two types of Civic Awards:

  • Community Services (Civic Honour): recognising outstanding, long-term voluntary community service
  • Youth Services: recognising outstanding voluntary community service from those aged 15-25.

Civic Honours Awards (Civic Awards) are given to individuals that have carried out outstanding and innovative voluntary service. The awards have the following categories:

  • Community service
  • Cultural affairs
  • Educational service
  • Environmental
  • Youth activities.
  • Health and wellbeing

The number of honours available is not restricted, but in recent years the number awarded has ranged between 3 and 5. It is rare for all people nominated to receive a Civic Award.

Nominate someone for a Civic Award

You can nominate someone for a Civic Award in the following ways:

Nominate online

Select the award and then follow the instructions in the form:

Nominate through the paper form

Print and fill out the nomination form:

Take your nomination form and the relevant documents to your local library, community hub or the Council office on Laings Road.

The Youth Services Award is a Civic Honour Award for young people aged 15 - 25 who have carried out outstanding voluntary service. The emphasis should be on how actively involved the young person has been in their community.

Up to one Youth Services Award can be presented each calendar year. Depending on the nominations received, Council may choose not to present an award.

Nominate someone for a Youth Services Award

You can nominate someone for a Civic Award in the following ways:

Nominate online

Select the award and then follow the instructions in the form:

Nominate through the paper form

Print and fill out the nomination form:

Take your nomination form and the relevant documents to your local library, community hub or the Council office on Laings Road.

Who can be nominated?

The service given should bring distinction and quality to Lower Hutt residents. The awards recognise voluntary community service. If someone has been paid for their service, or they have given professional services, we can't consider a nomination for them. People living outside of the city boundaries can (in special circumstances) be nominated, as long as all or most of their voluntary service was carried out in Lower Hutt. Someone who has already received a Royal Honour will only be eligible for a Civic Honour in special circumstances.

Who should make the nomination?

Any two people or two officers of any organisation, association, society or club can make a nomination. Nominations made on behalf of an organisation must be approved and signed off by an executive member eg. board member, chairperson, chief executive, trustee. Hutt City Council officers are not permitted to nominate people for the Civic Honours Awards .You don't need to get consent from the person being nominated before submitting a nomination. If the nomination is successful, the person nominated will be contacted to ask whether he or she wishes to accept the award. We recommend not contacting the nominee.

Nominate now!


Contact details

For more information