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SIMON O’CONNOR / Things
Sunita Torrance, left, as Drag queen Coco, pictured with Erika (Daniel Lockett), is a Kiwibank local hero medalist. (File photo)
Helping rangatahi, the LGBTQI + community, and people affected by cancer are just a few of the things the people of Taranaki have been recognized for in a number of national awards.
Bev Raine, Dorothy Anderson, Hayden and Pia Tunnicliffe, Josh Hickford and Sunita Torrance have been named 2021 Taranaki Kiwibank Local Hero Medalists, along with nearly 100 other local heroes across the country.
Raine is being rewarded for being a community leader for the past three decades, helping the next generation to follow in her footsteps.
ANDY JACKSON / Stuff
Dorothy Anderson, 98, is the longest-serving volunteer at the TSB Festival of Lights. (File photo)
She has been involved in many sports and community groups, including the Taranaki women’s shelter.
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Anderson, 98, is the longest-serving volunteer at TSB’s Festival of Lights.
The Tunnicliffes are co-directors of START Taranaki, a support program for young men in the juvenile justice system, many of whom have experienced neglect, family violence, and trauma.
The couple has helped many in their time.
Grant Matthew / Things
Josh Hickford has been recognized for creating Ripple, an application for people who are undergoing cancer treatment or for supporting people who are. (File photo)
Hickford, a cancer survivor, invested time and money in creating an app called Ripple that connects those affected by cancer, something he wished existed when fighting the disease. .
Torrance has been described as an activist, advocate, and critical ally of the LGBTQI + community in Taranaki, and is the driving force behind Rainbow Storytime New Zealand, which sees drag queens perform sessions for children at public libraries and other community centers.
Each of the medalists now progresses to semi-finalist and finalist evaluation.
