Surf Life Saving Honours Awards

The awards below are aligned at both regional and national levels, only one nomination form is required. 
The nomination forms linked to each category open on Tuesday, 24 February, and close on Sunday, 3 May 2026. 

Click below for nomination forms 

• Service 
• Distinguished Service 
• Life Service / Life Membership 
• 50-Year Badge 

2026 Surf Life Saving Awards of Excellence

Awards of Excellence fall into two distinct categories as outlined below. 
The nomination forms linked to each category open on Tuesday, 24 February, and close on Sunday, 3 May 2026. 

Nationally aligned awards: These awards are presented at both the local area awards of excellence and nationally, one nominee from the Central Region will be selected as a national finalist.

Area specific awards: These awards are specific to the Central Region and its local areas (Hawkes Bay, Taranaki & Capital Coast), nominees will not go forward for national selection.

Click below for individual nomination forms 
Alternatively, download all forms here

Note: For any queries regarding Honours and Awards, please contact your regional support team in the first instance.

Note: All nominations need to be sent via the awards@surflifesaving.org.nz email address by the closing date on May 3, 2026.

Important notes about the nomination forms: If copying information from another application into the form take care to ensure all information is displayed accurately, if you need to scroll to read text or it has been cut off you will need to reformat your comments. Try to avoid bullet point lists, instead providing information in series separated by commas. Adobe Acrobat Reader (free) works best to prevent issues.

If you don’t have a signature app installed simply type your name into the nominators signature box.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I nominate more than one member for an Award?
No – For Awards of Excellence clubs must select their top nominee for all categories and submit only one nomination. Clubs can however submit multiple nominations for honours awards (Service Awards, Life Membership & 50 Year Badges) so long as the members meet the applicable criteria.

Do I have to submit a nomination for all award categories?
No – Clubs can choose not to nominate for an award however are encouraged to do so and to share their nomination with the member being nominated as a means of recognition.

Do I have to submit a bp Rescue of the Year nomination if I've already done one for Rescue of the Month? 
Yes - We have simplified the rescue of the month criteria to encourage greater nominations and recognition, bp Rescue of the Year requires a greater level of detail and now has a separate nomination form. This decision has been supported by the National Lifesaving Committee and member feedback

Will a member know if they’ve been nominated for an award?
Generally, no – clubs are encouraged to share the nomination form with nominees when submitting it to SLSNZ. In many cases the member may have additional information to add to the nomination and is an important part of member recognition.

How will I know if I’m a finalist for an award?
Finalists for Awards of Excellence will be notified by SLSNZ staff to the email address included on the nomination form. Clubs will also be notified of any finalists to the club ‘Enquiries email’ recorded in the Patrols and Membership database (CRM)

How do I find patrolling and competition information for a nominee?
Club administrators can access member information via the Patrols and Members Database (CRM), if you need help contact your local Club Support Lead or Regional Manager.

Who decides the winner of an award?
Awards are judged by volunteer committees or SLSNZ staff as applicable, you can find information relating to the judging of specific awards in the award appendices linked on the SLSNZ website.

Who can nominate a member for an award?
Award nominations should be completed by a club official, generally the Chairperson, President or a senior committee member.

I need to make a change to a nomination, what do I do?
So long as the nominations period is open simply email awards@surflifesaving.org.nz with an updated nomination form advising of the change.

What time period do the Awards of Excellence nominations cover?
Nominations should cover all activity from 01 May 2025 - 30 April 2026. Information/activities relating to the period from 01 May 2026 onwards will be considered for the 2027 Awards of Excellence.

I'd like to provide feedback on the awards, what do I do?
Simply email your feedback to awards@surflifesaving.org.nz with the word FEEDBACK in the subject line. You may choose to include applicable staff in your email if appropriate however all feedback addressed to the awards mailbox will be considered.