The awards are to acknowledge projects and initiatives that people consider have helped to conserve and promote the area’s cultural heritage. This could be buildings, places or objects. It also includes initiatives that revisit the activities of people and events of historical significance to this district.

Christchurch City Council Community Assistant Advisor for Papanui, Jo Maraki, says the aim is to encourage individuals and groups to take pride in their local heritage.

Nominations will be accepted from any individual or group living in the Papanui/Shirley Ward involved in a project concerned with the conservation and/or promotion of the area’s cultural heritage, within the past 12 months. This includes entrants living outside the ward who have participated in projects that enhance the cultural heritage of the community.

There are five categories:

• Cultural and/or Spiritual Significance:
  An initiative that is involved in the education and awareness of an object, building, place, person or event of cultural and/or spiritual significance.
• Children: (2 sections) 5 – 12 years  13 – 18 years:
  Projects undertaken by children and youth focusing on heritage. A broad category that may, for example, include art projects in schools focusing on an event, place, person or object of significance to the cultural heritage of the community.
• Education & Awareness:
  Initiatives undertaken by individuals or community groups to promote heritage education & awareness. Projects such as the implementation of heritage trails or articles in local publications, books and the media.
• Good Caretaker Award:
  In recognition of property owners or tenants who have maintained a property in original or near original condition for a number of years.
• Conservation and Restoration:
  Items entered in this category must have undergone a conservation and/or restoration programme within the past 12 months or be part of a staged conservation and/or restoration programme.  This includes a building or object previously under threat of demolition now secured by either private or community initiative.

The Shirley/Papanui Ward is located within the rohe of the Ngai Tuahuriri Runanga o Tuahiwi. The Ward area covers Shirley, St Albans, Papanui, Belfast and extends as far as Kainga, Brooklands and Spencerville.