Eighty-one Wellington City groups, organisations and community initiatives have been named finalists in the 2026 Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards.
The awards recognise volunteers and not-for-profit groups contributing to communities across the wider Wellington region.
Wellington City winners and runners-up will be announced at an awards function in late July. Local winners will then go forward to the regional awards, where they will compete for the overall award in their category and the Supreme Winner title.
The Wellington City finalists are:
A–F
Bella & Bio-Bot (Youth-led STEM Storytelling Initiative)
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wellington
Birth Wise
Cats Protection Wellington
Challenge 2000 Foodbank
Community Networks Wellington
Compassion Soup Kitchen
Devbhoomi Charitable Trust
Ekta NZ
FEET with Heat 4dance Studio
Franken Art Bursaries (FAB)
G–M
Ghost Diving Wellington
Good Bitches Baking Wellington
Great Harbour Way Trust
Interpreting New Zealand
Kaicycle Inc
Karori Lions Club
Katherine Mansfield House & Garden
Kauri Theatre Company Incorporated
Kia Ora Netball Club Wellington Incorporated
Kiwi Sports Network (KSN)
Leififi Boxing Gym (LBG)
Life Flight
Madoc Benfell Memorial Trust
Mary Potter Hospice
Matairangi Trail Builders
MenzShed Wellington in Hataitai
Mothers Network
N–S
New Zealand Cricket Museum volunteers
New Zealand Red Cross – Wellington
Newtown Budgeting and Advocacy Service (NBAS)
North City Cricket Club
Nourish Trust
NZ Eid Day – Wellington
Onslow Historical Society
Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush Trust
Pakistan Association of Wellington New Zealand (PAWNZ) Inc.
Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Aotearoa (PADA)
Rainbow Wellington
Roadworn Upcyclers
Rotary’s Lifting the Lid on Youth Mental Health
Seatoun AFC
Signature Tautai Trust
South Coast Arts Trail
Sri Lankan Seniors’ Association
Swimming Wellington Technical Officials
T–Z
Take 10
Tawa Brownies
Tawa Junior Rugby Football Club
Tawa School Whānau & Friends
Te Aka – Wellington East Girls College
Te Aro Eats
Te Toi Mahana Kaitiaki
The Circus Hub
The Nepalese Society of Wellington
The Nest Collective NZ Charitable Trust
The Runathon – Wellington College
Tiriti Action Group Pōneke
TSKF-ISKF Wellington Dojo
Tu Tagata Secondary Schools Poly Festival – Wellington
United Nations Youth Wellington
VietKidsNZ
Vogelmorn Community Group Trust (VCG)
Waitangi parkrun
Wellington Basketball Association
Wellington City Mission – Whakamaru
Wellington Community Revitalisation Society
Wellington Family & Foster Care Association
Wellington Free Ambulance
Wellington Indian Association
Wellington Kidney Support Society – WELLKiSS
Wellington Kids Cricket Community
Wellington Samaritans
Wellington Softball Association
Wellington Sri Lankan School
Wellington Volunteer Coastguard
Wellington Women’s Health Collective
Wellington Writers Walk
WIT (Wellington Improvisation Troupe)
World Marudào Karate Organisation
Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne
Award categories cover art and culture, education and child or youth development, health and wellbeing, heritage and environment, and sport and leisure. A Rising Star Award also recognises emerging groups.
Wellington Airport and the region’s five councils have run the awards since 2004.
