Kiwi battlers to win prizes

Primbon Arti Nama Kiwi battlers will be recognised in a new competition to find New Zealand's unsung heroes.

Arti Nama The Morgan Foundation wants to identify ordinary New Zealanders who make a difference in their communities.

The foundation will donate $30,000, on the winner's behalf, to a charity.

"There are so many unsung, hard-working heroes here in New Zealand," foundation trustee Gareth Morgan said.

"We want to identify, recognise and celebrate Kiwis who go the extra mile, overcome obstacles, and achieve results – not for themselves, but for their communities."

The competition is being supported by The Press and police.

Morgan said he got the idea from the foundation's Kiwi Heroes programme, which funds New Zealanders working in Third World countries.

"We were already doing it with Kiwis offshore, but, suddenly, the penny dropped and I thought, `Why don't we do the same sort of thing here'," he said.

There will be 13 Kiwi Battler regional winners, with the Morgan Foundation giving $10,000 to each winner's favourite charity and $1000 to each winner.

One Kiwi Battler will win the national title, with an extra $20,000 for their chosen charity and $2000 for them.

Potential Kiwi Battler contestants can be nominated via a website, www.kiwibattler.com.

Nominees needed to have the "wow factor" when it came to making their community a better place, Morgan said.

Police district commanders will be part of the judging panel, alongside foundation and community representatives.

A public vote will decide the top Kiwi Battler for each region, with the national winner announced in September.

Police Commissioner Howard Broad said the competition would provide an opportunity to identify and acknowledge New Zealand's "grafters" and "battlers".

The competition would provide police with a chance to reward unsung community workers.