Two members of the Piha community were honoured at Friday’s Ecowise Community Awards, organised by Keep Waitakere Beautiful.

Larry Gibson was given the Rata Award for the West Auckland school caretaker who makes a difference.

As Larry recently passed away, the award was received by three young students of the Peninsula Primary School in Te Atatu where Larry had worked. The award said that Larry had fostered a love of the environment and sustainable principles in the children of the school, and that they had especially loved his “snail races”. Clearly Larry was loved by the pupils at the school and is sadly missed.

Children from Peninsula School who accepted Larry Gibson’s Rata Award

Hayden Smith of the Watercare Harbour Clean-Up Trust won the Totara Award for the most active group of volunteers working in the community to beautify West Auckland by reducing litter, weeds and graffiti. Formed in the early 2000s on the initiative of Hayden, the trust patrols the Waitemata Harbour, inlets and rivers in the boat the Phil Warren, kayaks and canoes, removing tonnes of rubbish annually. Hayden is a Piha boatie and member of some premier Piha surf boat crews.

Hayden Smith of Watercare Clean-Up Trust.