The sound of excited chatter reverberated around the Mt Pleasant Community Centre on Friday evening as the recipients of the Sumner Ferrymead Foundation Scholarships and Awards Programme arrived to receive their awards and meet their sponsors. There was a great turn out, with the friends and families of the recipients in attendance, along with supporters of the Foundation.

Chair of the Sumner Ferrymead Foundation, Martin Hawes, said the evening function was a great opportunity to not only recognise the achievement of the recipients but also a great opportunity to recognise the sponsors of the award’s programme. “Without the sponsors, the Scholarships & Awards Programme would be stretch the Foundation financially, so we really appreciate their support.”

The recipients of the scholarships & the awards had the opportunity to meet their sponsor and thank them personally. The sponsor of the Environment Award, a Sumner local, commented "Sponsoring the Sumner Ferrymead Foundation Environment Award allows me to put back into our community; I like the Foundation’s ethos of ‘locals helping locals."