Humour in Business Awards New Zealand

In a recent visit to New Zealand I met a delightful lady - Pat Armitstead who is doing great things with humour in business. Just in is a press release from Pat and it makes great reading:

Pat Armitstead is organising the second Humour in Business Awards for New Zealand, which invite business people to submit their "winning humour and wit "entries in three different categories, vying for the best score from the jesting judges. Awards need to be documented and submitted by the 1st April 2007 and the winners will be notified on the Awards night World Laughter Day ,May 1st

The Awards, whose major sponsor is the Business to Business newspaper, and Classic Hits FM Radio, are a perfect prelude to the 2007 Crunchie International Comedy Festival. The trophies are unique awards that are wall décor and a piece of fun themselves and will be awarded at a night of fun at the Academy Cinema in Auckland.

The Awards aim to recognize the contribution humour makes to the lives of business owners, staff and customers. The World Health Organisation says depression is currently world health burden number four and by 2020 they predict it will be number two. Armitstead declares that the awards are a tribute to people who suffer with depression and by 2020 she aspires to convert global pessimism to optimism through the generation of high trust environments where people perform to optimum, having fun doing what it is that they love.