The Lesley Pearse Women of Courage Award comes to New Zealand for the first time in 2010.

Bestselling author Lesley Pearse joined forces with Penguin in the UK to launch this annual award in 2006. Their vision was to recognise the heroines among us who often go unnoticed — ordinary women who show extraordinary strength and dedication in their everyday lives.

This year, Lesley Pearse, New Zealand Women's Weekly and Penguin Group (NZ) are inviting the New Zealand public to nominate a woman who they feel deserves to be called a Woman of Courage. She doesn’t need to have scaled mountains or leaped tall buildings in a single bound — we’re looking for someone who inspires others in the way she lives her everyday life. She might be a woman who has suffered hard knocks and battled on with a smile on her face. Or perhaps she has dedicated all her time and resources to making things better for others.

Five finalists will be chosen from your entries in May 2010, and Lesley herself will select the inaugural New Zealand Woman of Courage. The winner and a friend will be flown to London for five nights in June to enjoy a lunch event where Lesley will present the winner with a framed certificate and $500 worth of Penguin books. Penguin will also donate $500 to a charity of the winner’s choice. The four runners-up will each receive a framed certificate and $200 worth of Penguin books.