Honouring Community: Hayley Guglietta Receives 2023 Christchurch Civic Award

In 2023, Hayley Guglietta was honoured with a Christchurch City Council Civic Award—an acknowledgement of years of tireless work and quiet dedication to building a stronger, more resilient, and more connected city.

Presented annually, the Civic Awards recognise individuals and groups who “go above and beyond” for the people of Christchurch and Banks Peninsula. Recipients are nominated by members of the public and selected for their outstanding contributions to the wellbeing of the city and its communities.

Hayley has been a dedicated advocate for the Red Zone since the Canterbury earthquakes. Her leadership has been instrumental in transforming disused spaces into thriving community assets—from the Richmond Community Garden and Ōtākaro Orchard to the Urban Farm, Envirohub, and the work of the Avon-Ōtākaro Network and Red Zone Action Team. She also continues to serve through the Richmond Residents and Business Association, amplifying the voices of local people and pushing for long-term, community-led recovery.

Despite the formal recognition, Hayley remains grounded in her kaupapa.

“This award is really about the communities I serve and the incredible people I work alongside every day. Nothing we do is done alone. Every shovel in the soil, every strategy meeting, every event or advocacy win—it’s all thanks to a collective vision and shared action.”

As Civic Award Committee Chair Councillor Yani Johanson noted during the presentation, “What makes us unique is the wonderful people we have who work for the good of others to improve the wellbeing of our community, our environment, and our economy. These people and groups are our greatest assets.”

Hayley is humbled to be counted among them.