BOP Kiwi Battler champion announced | Bay of Plenty News | Local News in Bay of Plenty

When Perry Keyte was announced as the Bay of Plenty regional Kiwi Battler champion last night, he couldn't believe his ears.

"I was pretty pleased because it's good for the community and that's what it's all about. It's not just about one person though ... a whole lot of people are going to benefit from this," Mr Keyte said this morning.

He was one of five Bay of Plenty regional finalists in the nationwide Kiwi Battler contest launched by high-profile economist and philanthropist Gareth Morgan and his wife Joanne.

Mr Morgan said he wanted to "celebrate and reward Kiwis who go the extra mile, overcome obstacles and achieve results, not for themselves but for their communities".

Mr Keyte was chosen as the regional winner through a public vote. He said it was an honour to be picked as "all the others were very deserving".

When Mr Keyte was 31, an accident left him paralysed from the chest down and in constant pain. Despite this, he has spent the past 26 years serving his community. He helped start a community support service which eventually became the Welcome Bay Community Centre.

Mr Keyte was awarded $1000 for winning the Bay of Plenty regional heats.

A further $10,000 will be donated to a charity of his choice - this money would be pumped straight back into the Welcome Bay Community Centre, he said.

Mr Keyte said the Kiwi Battler prizemoney would mean he and other volunteers could spend more time in the community and less time fundraising.

Mr Keyte will join 12 other regional finalists in the national finals, to be judged by a panel including representatives from the Morgan Foundation and the Police Commissioner Howard Broad.

The national winner will be announced early October. They will receive an additional $20,000 for the charity of their choice and an extra $2000 for themselves.

The other four Bay of Plenty Kiwi Battler finalists were Kahu Te Maro, who works with Maori criminal offenders once they have been released back in to the community, drug and alcohol campaigner Pat Buckley, Te Puke's Margie Willers, who has overcome disabilities to help others, and Jason McDonald, who runs a supported-living home for men in Whakatane.