Marlburians recognised nationally as Local Hero Medallists

Evan Tuchinsky

Five Marlborough residents dedicated to community wellbeing have earned national recognition as Tower Local Hero Medallists in the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards.

The awards office named three individuals and one duo among 100 honourees announced on Wednesday, 19 November. They are Drs Sara Simmons and Rachel Inder of Manu Ora; Glenda Davies of the Pelorus Area Health Trust; Lee Tepuia of Box On Boxing and Marlborough Youth Trust; and Peter Adams of Taskforce Kiwi.

All 100 medallists are contenders for the 2026 Tower New Zealand Local Hero of the Year Award / Te Pou Toko o te Tau. Semifinalists will be announced on 11 December, finalists on 26 February, and winners on 19 March at the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards Gala / Ngā Tohu Pou Kōhure o Aotearoa in Auckland.

Drs Sara Simmons and Rachel Inder
The general practice physicians co-founded Manu Ora in 2021, creating a charity to support a clinic for patients with complex conditions.

The awards programme says Sara and Rachel “have redefined healthcare in Aotearoa New Zealand with a steadfast dedication to Māori health equity and community collaboration and welfare.”

Their approach tackles systemic barriers and has earned them the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners’ Community Service Medal. Manu Ora was named 2025 GenPro NZ General Practice of the Year and won multiple honours at the 2023 Marlborough Business Awards.

“It’s so incredible for us to have been able to work in this way,” Rachel says. “Sure, it’s incredibly hard work, pretty stressful at times, but it’s also just a relief to be providing the care that patients really need.”

Glenda Davies
Chair of the Pelorus Area Health Trust since 2019, Glenda helps bridge service gaps in Havelock. The trust runs a Community Lounge, two charity shops and a kitchen. Volunteers assist at Havelock Medical Centre on Wednesdays, and each Friday Glenda delivers soup to about 30 seniors’ homes.

She calls the Local Hero Medal “overwhelming.” Glenda was Marlborough Volunteer of the Year in 2024 and received the King’s Service Medal in 2025.

“Obviously I don’t do this sort of thing on my own,” she says. “There are so many people out there who do so much.”

The awards programme describes Glenda as “a cornerstone of the Te Hoiere Pelorus region for more than 20 years, improving wellbeing and connectedness through practical, people-centred leadership.”

Lee Tepuia
Lee is a mentor, youth worker and coach who has turned his own challenges into a force for good. He founded Box On Boxing to give rangatahi and tāne Māori a safe space to build fitness and emotional wellbeing. He also works with Marlborough Youth Trust and has raised $70,000 for free counselling.

“It’s pretty cool to be recognised for what I do,” Lee says. “I’m grateful I got chosen for this, but I’ll just keep doing the manaaki moving forward.”

Peter Adams
Pete’s life has been about responding to crises. A former police officer and Search & Rescue volunteer, he now serves with Taskforce Kiwi, a disaster relief organisation founded by his son Richard.

The awards programme cites Pete’s leadership during severe weather and flooding in Tasman as an example of his commitment to helping those in need. He has led multinational volunteer teams in New Zealand, Australia and Canada.

His reaction to the medal? “Surprise,” Pete says. “A lot of surprise. I certainly didn’t expect it.”