11.55PM: A sense of community is important to glbt people, according to Thomas Hamilton, the transgender Executive Director of Rainbow Youth, who was tonight honoured at Auckland's inaugural OurFest community awards. Community spirits: The winners of 2010 OurFest Awards Hamilton received the Supreme Winner award after earlier being named the Transperson Of The Year. Also honoured this evening as Business Of The Year were the owners and staff of Urge Bar, Community Hero Of The Year Michael Bancroft, Gay Male Of The Year Steven Oates, Lesbian Of The Year Miriam Saphira, Performers Of The Year The Topp Twins, Personality Of The Year Miss Ribena, Sportsperson/group Of The Year The Auckland Gay Bowling Team and Young Person Of The Year Clint Woolly. Special Recognition of Achievement Awards were presented to drag duo Buffy and Bimbo, GayNZ.com, the recently wound-up Hero festival, the Outline October fundraising crew and theatre director Shane Bosher. Hamilton, who was out of the country, said in a pre-prepared acceptance speech that a sense of community is important. "I remind myself, along with all those here tonight, how important we are as a community, with all our diverse and unique perspectives," he said. Hamilton's theme was taken up by Oates who observed that some people think that the glbt community is dead or dying. He said the range and commitment of the nominees and those who attended the function proved that the community is still alive and well. In his closing speech, OurFest Awards organiser Kent Philips explained that "these Awards exist because it was time that glbt Aucklanders had an event where we can celebrate our commitments collectively as a community." He noted that Wellington and Christchurch have had their own community awards for many years. "Auckland is often criticised for being a city without a heart, but I think that tonight has shown that we've got plenty of heart and plenty of spirit." 150 people attended the $85 a head catered function at Eden Park's ASB Lounge, where the award announcements were presided over by comedian and MC Michelle A'Court and interspersed with entertainment including the Gay and Lesbian Singers and drag queen and drag king acts. The awards were the culmination of the OurFest glbt community festival which was launched after the demise of the long-running Hero Festival.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 20th February 2010 - 12:16am