Supported by Community Trust South, the Commnity Impact Award recognises an initiative that has had a positive impact on the wellbeing of the Southland community through physical activity. 

As seen with this year’s nominees for the ILT Southland Sports Awards, the award highlights individuals, groups and organisations who have put a premium on inclusion, equity, collaboration and understanding the needs of the community. 

Southland Football prioritises offering ‘’football for all”; their small team of paid staff travelling throughout the province to ensure communities have access to the game.

They actively work with the disability sector to be more inclusive, are involved in charity work with Southland Hospice, provide a hardship fund offering funding and equipment to those in need and focused on telling their story more. 

A major project has been the upgrade to the Turnbull Thomson artificial turf, the five-year imitative creating a facility which has been shared with a number of other codes. 

Participation numbers, especially amongst women and girls, is increasing, as is the code’s commercial support and partnership across the community. 

The SBS Bank Tour of Southland, the longest-running cycling race of its kind in New Zealand, faced a massive challenge when it was forced to postpone its traditional November event due to an extreme weather situation and the resulting state of emergency in Southland.

Reorganising and galvanising the many moving parts required to coordinate an event of this scale, including the small army of volunteers, for a rescheduled event in January, was no small task. 

The result was a successful event which was a powerful expression of the Southland community’s resilience, pride and unity.  

The Bunker was established to create a safe, inclusive, and youth-focused space for tamariki, and rangatahi in Mataura and the wider community. 

The initiative aims to provide positive pathways through recreation, sport, mentoring, and whānau opportunities. 

A key focus is reducing barriers to participation by offering accessible, low-cost or free programmes that promote physical activity, wellbeing, and social connection. 

The Bunker has delivered a wide range of programmes including sport-based activities like roller staking, fitness sessions, outdoor education experiences, along with free kai evenings and food parcels.

It has created regular opportunities for young people to be active, try new sports, and develop skills in a supportive environment. The Bunkers has also become a hub for collaboration, hosting community groups and enabling access for youth-focused and whānau initiatives. 

With over 400 young people and whānau registered the Bunker has enabled improved confidence, stronger social connections, and a greater sense of community belonging and pride. 

The winner of the Community Trust South Community Impact Award Athlete will be announced at ILT Stadium Southland on June 12. 

The ILT Southland Sports Awards are the longest-running awards of their kind in New Zealand, a once-a-year showcase of the Southland sporting community's proudest achievements. 

Nearly 60 outstanding performances across 22 sporting codes will be celebrated at this year’s Awards. 

Tickets are on sale now from activesouthland.co.nz or ILT Stadium Southland.

Article added: Thursday 28 May 2026