The Apumoana Marae Charitable Trust did the Rotorua Lakes volunteer community proud at the Trustpower National Community Awards in Tauranga this weekend.

Bob Te Aonui and Heidi Symon represented the group, with Mayor Steve Chadwick also on hand to support the team over the weekend.

These representatives took their community project head to head with the country's best and brightest volunteer groups and projects on a national stage, full of friendly competition.

The Apumoana Marae Charitable Trust came out on top at the Trustpower Community Awards for Rotorua last year, which earnt them their spot at the Trustpower National Community Awards.

Trustpower Community and Communications Advisor, Alice Boyd, said although the group didn't come away as award recipients, it's clear the Marae has a very bright future ahead of them.

"The people of Apumoana Marae have a long history of service and support to their people and local community, through the provision of cultural awareness and wellbeing, environment education, tourism, accommodation and iwi/community engagement."

"Hearing about how Apumoana Marae currently supports a number of activities and groups, by providing use of the Marae at little or no cost for all people in the community and beyond, was a real inspiration for many of the groups and provided a lot of food for thought.

"We have no doubt the people of Apumoana Marae will continue to do great things for their community."

The national competition brought together 26 groups from across 27 regions - all who were named Supreme Winners of last year's Trustpower Community Awards, a programme run in partnership with local Councils.

The award winners were announced on Saturday evening (30 March) at an Awards Dinner, held at Mills Reef Winery.

Matipo Community Development Charitable Trust, representing Whanganui District, were named Supreme Winner, and South Catlins Charitable Trust, a group representing Invercargill City and Southland District, was named Runner-Up.

The Whetū Mātaiata Award winner (the rising star award for an up-and-coming group), was Under the Stars from Tauranga, and the winner of the inaugural Trustpower Award was USO Bike Ride from Porirua representing the Wellington Region.

In between a weekend of sight-seeing and networking, the Apumoana Marae Charitable Trust volunteers gave an eight-minute presentation on what the group has achieved.

The groups were judged on their presentations, along with a 1,000 word summary of the organisation, by their peers and a panel of independent judges including Rhodes Scholar and 2017 runner-up in the NZ Youth Volunteer of the Year Awards, Johann Go, co-founder of Good Neighbour, Cam Hill, GM of Tauranga Women's Refuge, Hazel Hape, previous National Supreme Winner, Bruce Knight from the Edgecumbe Volunteer Fire Brigade, Chief Executive of Volunteering NZ, Dr Katie Bruce, General Manager of Exult, Rosie Julou, Trustpower GM of Customer Operations, Fiona Smith, and Trustpower Independent Director, Richard Aitken.