‘Amazing’ Trustee finalist for National Volunteer Award

Over twenty-five years of voluntary service to the arts and cultural sector in New Zealand proves Sandi Morrison to be an extremely “generous, tenacious and amazing person” agree both the Chair of the Arts Regional Trust, Dr Hinemoa Elder, and Chief Executive of the Big Idea Trust, Elisabeth Vaneveld.

Sandi Morrison, a foundation trustee on both the Big Idea Trust and the Arts Regional Trust, is one of five finalists in the 2009 Intrepid Travel Volunteer of the Year Awards. New Zealand’s overall Volunteer of the Year will be announced at an event in Auckland on June 11. The Hon. Tariana Turia, Minister Voluntary and Community Sector, will select the overall winner.

The Awards are being held in the lead up to Volunteer Awareness Week (June 14-20) which aims to highlight volunteering and the wide range of volunteering roles available within the community.

Over the years, Sandi has worked voluntarily with communities to develop partnerships, projects and new services to support economic, social and cultural development. Her contribution has been to champion the importance and contribution of arts and culture to the region’s quality of life and economic growth.

She was a founding member of EDANZ the Economic Development Association of NZ, and a foundation Trustee (unpaid) of the Arts Regional Trust (ART) and The Big Idea Trust (unpaid). She has also contributed many thousands of unpaid hours supporting her roles on the boards of the Hillary Commission, the Arts Council of New Zealand and the Arts Board of Creative New Zealand.

Arts Regional Trust Chair Dr Hinemoa Elder says “Sandi lives and breaths the arts, and works tirelessly in many unpaid capacities to further the development and sustainability of New Zealand’s arts and cultural sector.”

The Big Idea Trust CEO Elisabeth Vaneveld agrees, “Sandi is a highly regarded prime mover and shaker who is recognised by her peers, local and national government officials and politicians and many more in the arts community, as the ‘go to’ person for strategic advice. She has a strong reputation for integrity, a keen intellect, and is well known for her generosity. Her hard work and ability to influence people at all levels has made a real and substantial difference to countless arts and cultural organisations, as well as individual practitioners.”

Both the Big Idea Trust Te Aria Nui and the Arts Regional Trust Te Taumata Toi-a-iwi are delighted that Sandi Morrison’s work has been recognised and celebrated through being a finalist in the Awards. Both Trusts support and thank Intrepid Travel, Good Magazine, Sunday Star Times and ASB Bank for recognising and celebrating the efforts and achievements of New Zealand volunteers through the 2009 Intrepid Travel National Volunteer Awards initiative.