Nor'West News: January 28, 2021

12 Thursday January 28 2021
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
NOR’WEST NEWS
KIWIBANK LOCAL HERO AWARDS
The Kiwibank Local Hero of the Year Award recognises 100 individuals across the country who strive to
make their communities a better place through hard work and dedication. Included in the top 100 local
hero medallists for 2020 were 12 Cantabrians. We profile those who live in Christchurch.
• Abdul Aziz Wahabzadah
Abdul Aziz Wahabzadah has
been hailed as a hero by law
enforcement, politicians and the
public for his actions on March
15, 2019, when he risked his
life to chase down the terrorist
behind the Christchurch
mosque attacks. Wahabzadah
was worshipping at Linwood
Mosque when the killer entered
the mosque and opened fire. In
spite of the clear risk to his own
life, he chased the offender from
the room, while grabbing an
Abdul Aziz Wahabzadah
Eftpos machine to hurl at him.
Wahabzadah’s quick thinking
and bravery saved many lives
and helped law enforcement to
quickly identify the killer’s car
and capture him.
• Alice Andersen
As executive director of
Qtopia, Alice Andersen’s role
is to celebrate, educate and
advocate for New Zealand’s
rainbow youth and their
whānau. In the year alone she
has designed, developed and
Alice Andersen
delivered Qtopia’s education
programme to more than
2000 people in Aotearoa and
Australia and helped establish
international best practice for
how schools can support gender
diverse students with her mahi
alongside Christ’s College, as
they supported their first out
transgender student.
• Erica Austin
Erica Austin was nearing
the end of her Masters of
Architecture degree at the
University of Auckland when
the Christchurch earthquakes
happened. She finished her
degree and moved south,
excited to participate in the
city’s rebuild. She is interested
in how cities can build ‘social
architecture’ to ensure the
physical environment is vibrant,
inclusive, and unites and engages
its inhabitants. Since arriving,
Austin has thrown herself
into a wide range of creative,
community and entrepreneurial
projects, and considers herself
a “Christchurch ambassador.”
She has been an invaluable
member of the teams at FESTA
(Festival Of Transitional
Architecture), the Ministry
of Awesome, Gapfiller, TEDx
Christchurch, PechaKucha,
the Christchurch Arts Festival,
WORD Christchurch, and LINC
(Leadership in Communities).
• Nigel Hampton
As a criminal lawyer with
more than five decades of
experience, Nigel Hampton has
been involved with many highprofile
cases, including the Pike
River Royal Commission and the
collapse of the CTV building.
He has been chair of the New
Zealand Law Practitioners
Disciplinary Tribunal, was the
first Disciplinary Commissioner
of Counsel at the International
Criminal Court at the Hague,
and Chief Justice of the Kingdom
of Tonga. He is a judicial officer
for World Rugby and New
Zealand Rugby, on the boards
of charitable bodies, and is New
Zealand patron of the Howard
League for penal reform. He also
helped establish the Criminal
Cases Review Commission
board, to redefine the way
possible miscarriages of justice
are identified.
Nigel Hampton
Before you
paint your
bargeboards
call us about
disconnecting
the power
03 363 9898 | 0800 363 9898
oriongroup.co.nz
Getting in there with that paintbrush around live power lines
is very dangerous. Call us about disconnecting the power,
it might cost a bit more, but it could well save your life.
You’re our priority.
Orion operates, and maintains, the electricity distribution network
that provides power to central Canterbury. We are always here
to help if you have any questions or concerns about the network.