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HomeNewsCommunityCommunity Hero: Surinder Edwards

Community Hero: Surinder Edwards

Helena O'Neill
By Helena O'Neill
May 29, 2026
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Surinder Edwards. Photo supplied

The Franklin Times is recognising the many wonderful people in our community
who go out of their way to help others with our regular Community Hero award.

If you know someone who’s doing amazing things in our community, please email 80 to 100 words describing why they deserve this recognition, highlighting specific actions they’ve taken to benefit our community, with your and their contact details and a high-resolution photo of them, if possible, to helena@times.co.nz. 

Be sure to include details about what they’ve been doing, the impact they’ve made, and how long they’ve been involved in these efforts.

The award is sponsored by Little Ed Pukekohe. Recipients will receive a $50 Little Ed voucher and will be featured in our newspaper and on our website. We award one Community Hero in each edition of our newspaper, published twice a month.

This week’s recipient is Surinder Edwards, nominated by Nadja Scherff, who writes:

“Surinder is a true community champion. Born and raised in Pukekohe, she teaches physical education in the primary school sector. Surinder has been active fostering safe cycling around Franklin schools, volunteering her time to teach kids bike skills, organising bike trains with Counties Manukau Sports and supporting Franklin Active Trails and Bike Pukekohe to bring free events to the community.

“Surinder truly believes in giving back to the community and she’s been such an inspiration to me and everyone who knows her.”

Surinder is also nominated by Alyssa Hook, who writes: “Whaea Surinder is a local hero. She is my PE teacher at Pukekohe East School. We are very lucky to have such an energetic, passionate teacher. She has taught us so many skills. I have overcome my fear of dogs with her help.

“The William Pike challenge has been introduced at our school with the help of Whaea Surinder. She takes us on hikes and gets us children involved in the community. Our school representatives recently attended a local board meeting with her help to get funding to improve our walkways in Rooseville Park.

“I even remember mum telling me how she was her schoolteacher and she has always been heavily involved in community events and fundraising. So many people in our community would know her and have wonderful memories of where Whaea Surinder has helped them. She is my local hero and role model.”

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  • Pukekohe East School
  • Surinder Edwards
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