Dave Letele
(Ngati Maniapoto/Samoa)

New Zealand Local Hero of the Year 2022, improving health outcomes for whānau, aiga, and community.

Awarded 2022 New Zealand Local Hero of the Year – Dave is the founder of Brown Buttabean Motivation (BBM), a free community health programme that has helped thousands of people lose weight and get fit and healthy. Dave also runs gyms in Manukau and New Lynn, and a standalone FoodShare service and Community Kitchen to help address food insecurity and alleviate family poverty.

Dave Letele grew up on the “wrong side of the tracks” in South Auckland. But he has not let that determine who he is and what he wants in life.

“My father was the president of a gang called the Mongrel Mob, and he was in prison for armed robbery and later on for cultivating marijuana. I have come from the struggle, and I’ve seen a lot of stuff that’s different and not normal.”.

“Back in 2014, I weighed 210 kilograms. I was a mess, physically and mentally. I hated my life. So to come from that, to where I am now just shows that anything is possible.” Dave has now lost nearly half of his body weight. His transformation has come about through hard work and dedication to his goal of turning his life around. He now works tirelessly to motivate others to deal with the challenges of obesity.

Dave has amassed an impressive following on Facebook and Instagram with over 100,000 followers where he provides information about obesity awareness and social issues. The size of his following is in part due to the fact that he is honest with his followers, well-connected with Pasifika and Māori communities, has a big heart that drives meaningful action, and can speak from his personal lived Experience.

Dave is now working with public health and social service providers to grow the BBM program, which has achieved significant improvements in the health outcomes for obese people.