• The 2020 AIMES Supreme Award Winner Grace Stratton (centre) was presented with her award by North Harbour Club President, Phil Brosnan (right) and Patron, Peter Menzies (left).

$200,000 worth of grants available in 2021 AIMES Awards

Applications are now open, closing August 4th

Applications are now open for the 2021 North Harbour Club AIMES Awards. This is an awards programme that is now in its 26th year, having been first established in 1995. 2021 Applications close on Wednesday August 4th.

AIMES is an acronym for the six categories that these awards are provided in. That is the Arts, Innovation, Music, Education, Sport and Service to the Community. The awards recognise achievements by North Shore and North Harbour youngsters, aged between 13 and 25, who display excellence in their chosen discipline or field. Award grants range between $3,000 and $30,000, with a total grant pool for 2021 of $200,000.
The AIMES Awards are awarded annually by the North Harbour Club and Charitable Trust. This entity was first established in 1995 as a leadership group for the North Harbour region with one of the stated aims being the desire to promote excellence by encouraging and providing financial assistance to the young people of the North Harbour region who have significant ability in their chosen field and display personal characteristics which make them worthy of our support. The North Harbour Club now has around 200 members who are all leaders in local affairs, business, education, sport and social development. They are all residents or have their businesses in the North Harbour region. Funds come via charity events held each year and through the support of sponsors.
Past winners of AIMES Awards have included Lewis Fry (Doctor), Lydia Ko (golfer), Lorde (Ella Yelich-O’Connor, musician/singer), Sharndre Kushor (entrepreneur), Eliza McCartney (athlete), Terenzo Bozzone (athlete), Cam Calkoen (motivational speaker), Moses McKay (musician/singer) and Hollie Smith (musician/singer).
AIMES Award winners in 2020 were Grace Stratton (fashion entrepreneur), Kit Reilly (dancer), Olivia McNeill (violinist), Richard Rahardja (scholar/karate), Oscar Gunn (sailor) and Matthew Goldsworthy (social entrepreneur and musician). Grace Stratton was the supreme award winner for 2020.
Once AIMES applications close in early August, all applications will be assessed and winners chosen by a judging committee. This judges are Sue Kohn-Taylor, Pam Bayer, Shane Cortese, Dean Flyger, Tom Ashley (former winner) and Andrew MacDonald (former winner and chair).
Applicants must be aged between 13-25 years old, have a strong North Harbour association (living, working, studying etc.) and will be doing something awesome or out of the ordinary. The North Harbour region is defined by a map that goes up to Warkworth, across to Kumeu and down to Devonport in the south. It aligns with the area also used by North Harbour Rugby.
As already covered, AIMES Awards are made in categories of the Arts, Innovation, Music, Education, Sport and Service to the Community. Grants are made on multiple levels, including via AIMES Scholarships, AIMES Emerging Talent grants and AIMES Awards grants. One AIMES Award category winner is chosen as the supreme winner each year. There are around 20-25 recipients each year.
This year the AIMES Scholarships have been increased, with the help of the sponsor, Vantage Windows North Shore (Paul and Pam Bayer), to cover all categories – previously these scholarships were awarded in sport only.
“We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved with rewarding our winners over the past 25 years,” says North Harbour Club President Phil Brosnan. “There have been some high profile winners and not so high profile winners who have gone on to achieve very special things on the world stage. Receiving an award is really just the beginning though. We have had many who have received Emerging Talent Awards who have gone on to win AIMES Awards in future years. Some are mentioned on this page. We also wrap around an ‘Excellence Support Package’ for our winners to further support the achievements, challenges, and hurdles they may face in the future. I want to say thanks  to Sky Cai and Michelle Fan of sponsor Precise Homes who have contributed to make this happen.”
The North Harbour Club have very loyal sponsors for its AIMES Awards programme. Many have been involved for a decade or more. They are ASB, Massey University, Yamaha Home Entertainment, Precise Homes, Kristin School, Vantage Windows North Shore, Albany Toyota, Alvarium, Bellingham Wallace Accountancy and AUT Millennium.
The AIMES Awards are presented annually at a black tie dinner held at the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna. It’s a prestigious occasion and one of the regions premier gala events of the year. This will be held on Saturday October 30th this year.

Applying for a North Harbour Club AIMES Award is an easy online process. To apply, or for more information visit:
www.aimesawards.co.nz