Finalists for the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards 2018 have just been released and Waikato District Council is proud to announce that Raglan is a finalist for the Most Beautiful Small Town Award.
The Most Beautiful Small Town Award recognises and celebrates beautiful small towns in New Zealand. It acknowledges positive actions that have been taken by councils to protect and enhance their local environments.
Keep New Zealand Beautiful Towns and Cities Awards are judged on initiatives across four key areas; litter prevention/waste minimisation, community beautification projects, recycling projects and sustainable tourism.
Waikato District Mayor Allan Sanson says that the local community in Raglan is thrilled the town is a finalist. “It gives us the opportunity to show case the exceptional work our community has been doing to the awards judges when they visit all the finalists next month.”
The Judges are: NZ House & Garden Editor Sally Duggan, renowned stencil artist Flox, and Keep New Zealand Beautiful Chief Executive Heather Saunderson.
The town or city that scores highest in the community beautification category will win a commissioned mural, designed and painted by Flox, for their local community.
Mayor Sanson says Waikato District Council has nominated Raglan for its strong community focus, and environmental and sustainability-focused advocacy. Initiatives such as beach clean-up days, a waste water education campaign, Plastic Bag-Free Whaingaroa, and a kerbside food waste collection that has diverted 123 tonnes of food waste from landfill to compost in its first 10 months, are examples of community-driven enterprises that enhance the town for locals and visitors alike.
Raglan Ward Councillor Lisa Thomson says, “I think anyone who spends any time in Raglan understands how beautiful the town is, but it’s the people that make it a truly beautiful place. Our community is proudly protective of the whenua [land] and Raglan’s community initiatives, and its sustainability- focused individuals and businesses, show it’s a real town effort to keep Raglan beautiful.”
