Nominations are open for the annual 2025 Tremains Taupō Volunteer Service Awards.

The awards are run by Volunteer Taupō and recognise volunteers in the Taupō district across four categories; Shining Star, Youth, Team and Volunteer of the Year.

Volunteer Taupō operations manager Phillip Purvis says the nominations can be for anyone who donates their time in the community.

There is a tight turnaround for nominations with the awards night scheduled for June 3 at the Two Mile Bay Sailing Club.

Last year it was held after the Comavol Expo at the Great Lake Centre but Phillip says it was getting a bit overshadowed by the expo.

"We wanted to give it proper recognition and it's all about recognising volunteers."

Anyone who volunteers their time in the community is eligible for nomination.

Miniter for Taupō Louise Upston and Taupō Mayor John Funnell will attend the event, while Tremains continues as the event's main sponsor.

The nomination period closes on May 28 to give the Volunteer Taupō board time to select finalists and winners.

"What we need is for people to click on the link and provide their nominations," Phillip says.

Organisers expect between 60 and 80 attendees, primarily nominees and their friends and fellow volunteers with a section of the Sailing Club venue reserved for the event.

Phillip says there would be no clubs and organisations without volunteers and they all start off with the passion of one or two people.

"It starts with the individual and their reason for being involved."

The ceremony will feature presentations from Minister Upston, Mayor John Funnell, Tremains representatives, and the organisation's chairperson.

Kuratau’s Raewyn Beattie was last year’s Tremains Volunteer Service Awards Volunteer of the Year, for her service to a number of organisations at the southern end of the lake.

Last year’s Youth award winner was Shanay Lang for her efforts within the Taupō Girls Brigade.

The Shining Star award went to Shawn Vennell for spending more than a decade as the driving force behind Greening Taupō.

The Top Team Award went to Tidy Taupō which galvanizes its 1600 members on social media and 13 regular volunteers to help keep Taupō tidy and litter free.

For a link to the nominations form for this year’s event, email nominations@volunteertaupo.org.nz