Last updated:
Monday, 1 June 2020
The Queen’s Service Medal:
ANDERSON, Miss Agnes Miller (Nan)
For services to choral music
Miss Nan Anderson was inaugural Vice President of the New Zealand Choral Federation from 1985 to 2002 and a founding member of the Canterbury-Westland branch.
Miss Anderson chaired the Christchurch branch of the New Zealand Choral Federation from 2007 to 2011. She was President of the Christchurch City Choir from 1991 to 2008, having been involved with the preceding Christchurch Harmonic Society Choir since age 17. Professionally she has been Chorus Master for Canterbury Opera and Music Director from 1981 to 2003 of The Cecilian Singers. In these roles she trained and encouraged a number of young singers who have gone on to international singing careers. She was a founding member of the Canterbury Clef Music Club in 1974 and has been a committee member, accompanist and President. For more than 15 years she was Musical Director for the YMCA ‘Carols by Candlelight’ event in Christchurch, attended by around 40,000 people annually. She was President of the amalgamated Canterbury Shetland and Orkney Society from 2008 until 2014, having been an inaugural member of the Shetland Society from 1987. Since 2002 Miss Anderson has voluntarily contributed to the writing, production and presentation of the radio programme ‘The Shetland and Orkney Connection’ for Plains FM.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
BARNES, Ms Edith Hazel (Hazel), JP
For services to local government and the community
Ms Hazel Barnes has helped to revitalise the town of Kihikihi and has contributed to the wider community for more than 30 years.
Ms Barnes has been a Waipa District Councillor for the past 17 years. Upon her initial election, she established a committee of local volunteers dedicated to reviving Kihikihi, a low socio-economic town in the Waikato region. Her efforts have led to a large variety of restoration projects in Kihikihi, making it a desirable place to work, live and visit. She was a founding member of the Waikato Asthma Society for 12 years, the Waikato Counterstroke organisation for 12 years, and the Waikato Equestrian Centre for 16 years. She was a driving force behind the establishment of the Kihikihi Domain, which hosts international equestrian events. She worked as a nurse for 13 years and as a social worker for 15 years. She was an executive member of the Hamilton Rehabilitation Association for seven years, a Trustee of the Trust Bank Waikato Community Trust Board for four years, and a voluntary marriage celebrant for 24 years. Ms Barnes has been an active Justice of the Peace for the past 28 years and is the current President of her local Grey Power organisation.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
BEAN, Mrs Rhys
For services to the community
Mrs Rhys Bean has supported the wider Auckland community for more than 30 years as a funeral celebrant and volunteer in the health sector.
Mrs Bean was a funeral celebrant for 29 years, officiating more than 4,650 funerals during this time. She has volunteered for Heart Kids New Zealand for more than 35 years and was a layperson representative on the Auckland District Health Board’s Heart Registry in 2000. She was a standing committee member of the Auckland Anglican Diocese for 11 years and a supporter of the Bereaved Parents Association for 25 years. She represented the Auckland Diocese as a lay member to the New Zealand Anglican General Synod. She was involved with an educational sub-committee that was involved in plans for the development of a Friendship House drop-in facility for Manukau City. She has been the driving force behind the radiology department’s ‘Jammies for June’ project at the Middlemore Hospital, collecting pyjamas and donations for sick children. Mrs Bean was a Meals on Wheels driver for many years and a frequent visitor to Kingseat Hospital’s children’s ward offering her support and time.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
BISHOP, Ms Gillian Clare
For services to conservation
Ms Gillian Bishop is the Chairperson of the Tasman Environmental Trust, a community-led conservation organisation.
Ms Bishop has been a committee member of the Tasman Environmental Trust since 2013 and Chairperson since 2016. She has been the driving force behind the Trust’s development of a cluster of community planting and predator control projects, and the development of a significant community conservation hub that connects many volunteer-run conservation projects in the Nelson-Tasman region. She has overseen the Trust’s support for the successful development of Project Mohua to become an active representative body for Golden Bay collaborative community conservation. Ms Bishop provides leadership to the Waimea Inlet Forum and the implementation of the Waimea Inlet Management Strategy.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
BISSET, Mrs Robyn Mary
For services to the community
Mrs Robyn Bisset has been an active community volunteer for more than 26 years.
Mrs Bisset has been a member of the Rotary Club of Christchurch since 1993. She was President of the Club in 2009 and for 21 years she was a member of a Rotary committee that raised more than $1.3 million for children’s charities in Canterbury. She is a Board member of the Burwood Academy of Independent Living, an organisation that helps people with spinal cord injuries. Since 2004 she has been a committee member of Friends of The Nurses’ Memorial Chapel at Christchurch Hospital, helping oversee refurbishment and reconstruction projects since the Christchurch Earthquakes. She has been an active Board member of the Canterbury Club for the past seven years and in 2015 became the Club’s first female President in its 145 years of existence. Mrs Bisset is a member of the St. George’s Hospital Inc Society and a committee member of the St. George’s Hospital Advisory Committee.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
BRADDING, Mr Bevan Albert
For services to the community
Mr Bevan Bradding has been an active community volunteer for more than 45 years.
Mr Bradding is a former President and Committee Member of Hamilton Group Riding for the Disabled (RDA), having helped establish the organisation in 2004. He and his wife Margaret Bradding purchased the first horse for the Hamilton Group RDA, which now has around 130 participants each week, and have been involved in all aspects of the organisation from the committee to competitions, people management, training and development. He runs their annual Ribbon Day barbeque and together with his wife has helped organise Christmas celebrations and Sponsor Days for the Group. The couple continue to volunteer with RDA two days a week, helping in a range of ways He was a member of the East Hamilton Lions Club from 1972 to 2002, serving one year as President. Through the Lions Club, he was a member of the Waitetuna Lodge Appeal Committee that organised the construction of the Waitetuna Lodge and has coordinated the Lions Club’s cancer telephone appeal. Mr Bradding received a Civic Award from the Hamilton City Council in 2013 for his various contributions to the community.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
BRADDING, Mrs Margaret Mary
For services to the community
Mrs Margaret Bradding is a Committee Member of Hamilton Group Riding for the Disabled (RDA), having helped establish the organisation in 2004.
Mrs Bradding and her husband Bevan purchased the first horse for the Hamilton Group RDA, which now has around 130 participants each week, and have been involved in all aspects of the organisation from the committee to competitions, people management, training and development. She and her husband have helped organise Christmas celebrations and Sponsor Days for the Group. She assisted the Hamilton Group RDA’s then Head Coach to attend the first New Zealand Para-Equestrian championships in 2010. The couple continue to volunteer with RDA two days a week, helping in a range of ways. She was a Dressage Judge for Dressage New Zealand for more than 20 years, being awarded New Zealand Dressage Judge of the Year in 2007. Mrs Bradding was also a pool examiner for the Royal Life Saving Society from 1974 to 1993 and received several awards from the Society recognising her contributions.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
BRERETON, Ms Kay Michelle
For services to the welfare of beneficiaries
Ms Kay Brereton is the manager of the Beneficiaries and Unwaged Workers Trust in Nelson and is an experienced advocate for people within the welfare system.
Since 2007, Ms Brereton has been a member of the National Beneficiary Advocacy Consultative Group (NBACG), which meets with the Ministry of Social Development to discuss ongoing issues in the welfare system. She is currently Co-Convenor of NBACG for the Wellington Peoples Centre. She is a member of several working groups with the Ministry of Social Development and other Government Ministries, including the Alignment Programme Working Group and the Ethics Working Group. She was a member of the Welfare Expert Advisory Group in 2018. Ms Brereton was contracted by Southland Beneficiaries and Community Rights Centre to deliver benefit advocacy training to existing and new groups around New Zealand, and to deliver a Remote Advocacy Service Trial from December 2014 to May 2015 for trespassed clients.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
BUTLER, Dr David Jeffrey (Dave)
For services to conservation
Dr Dave Butler was the founding Chairperson of the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary Charitable Trust established in 2004.
The Trust was set up to restore a functioning ecosystem in Nelson’s Brook Catchment, to control or eliminate pests from the Sanctuary and reintroduce lost species, as well as create an educational resource and to develop employment and training opportunities. Dr Butler led the project to develop 135 kilometres of tracks and pest-proof fencing that encloses 700 hectares of land. The Sanctuary employs a variety of workers and has the support of up to 300 volunteers. The Sanctuary is a key partner of the Nelson Biodiversity Strategy and reports in to the Nelson Biodiversity Forum. Dr Butler held the role of Chairperson from inception until 2019 and was made a Life Member of the Sanctuary.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
COX, Mr Allan John
For services to the community
Mr Allan Cox has given more than 40 years of service to the Blackball community through several organisations.
Mr Cox is a current member of the Blackball Swimming Club, having volunteered for the club since 1980. He has helped fundraise and implement three separate pool upgrades and committed many weeks of service each season to have the pool ready for use. He was a member of the West Coast Kennel Association from 1982 to 2015, including serving as President for 22 years and as a delegate to the national annual conference for six years. He was made a Life Member of the Swimming Club in 1991 and the Kennel Association in 2012. He was a volunteer with the Blackball Fire Brigade from 1974 to 2015, where he rose to the rank of Station Officer and was made a Life Member. He was Chairman of the Blackball School Committee from 1984, during which time he helped lift the school out of financial difficulty and oversaw the construction of a new Blackball School in 1986. He has been a key contributor to a number of general community projects in Blackball, including the construction of 22 picnic tables and the fencing of the Blackball cemetery. Mr Cox was also a volunteer for the Order of St John from 1990 to 2015.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
DAJI, Mr Chandu, JP
For services to the Indian community and sport
Mr Chandu Daji has supported the Indian community in Auckland through several organisations since the 1980s.
Mr Daji has been a member of the Auckland Indian Sports Club Executive Committee for 33 years, during which time he served on the Auckland Hockey Association Junior Management Committee, was Club Representative to the Auckland Cricket Association Board of Control, and Club Delegate to the New Zealand Indian Sports Association. He has managed hockey and cricket teams and coordinated the Golden Oldies Hockey Tournament in 1998. He has been a member of the Auckland Indian Association Executive Committee for 20 years, including as Vice President from 2002 to 2005 and President from 2005 to 2008. As President he organised a free health expo for the community, which had more than 1,000 attendees. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the Mahatma Gandhi Charitable Trust and was previously involved with the installation of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi. He chaired the committee for the publication of the Mahatma Gandhi Centre Silver Jubilee Commemoration Book in 2015. He served 20 years on the Auckland Retail Fruiterers Association Executive Committee and was President of from 1981 to 1990. Mr Daji has been a member of the Westhaven Rotary Club since 1995 and was President for two years.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
DAWSON, Mrs Priscilla Maree
For services to refugees and the Burmese community
Mrs Priscilla Dawson has assisted asylum seekers from Myanmar as an interpreter for the Refugee Status Branch of Immigration New Zealand and the Refugee Status Appeals Authority since the 1980s.
Mrs Dawson began working for Refugees as Survivors New Zealand in 2000, when the government began accepting refugees from Myanmar as part of the refugee quota system. She was initially employed as an interpreter at the Mangere Resettlement Centre, but soon became a qualified and experienced cross-cultural counselling and support person. Her services to all refugees, not only those from Myanmar, extended to providing assistance with education, housing, health, financial, employment, family and legal matters. She has helped family members in difficult domestic and relationship situations by assisting them to engage with relevant government and support agencies. On several occasions she has housed vulnerable refugee wives and children in her own home for emergency ‘cooling down’ periods. She has made herself available at all hours, often travelling to meet with refugee families in the evenings and on weekends to provide assistance. Mrs Dawson is regarded as a matriarch of the Myanmar community in New Zealand and has been involved with organising language and cultural lessons for Burmese children, as well as Burmese New Year water festival events.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
ELLIOTT, Mrs Dawn Zeala
For services to art education
Mrs Dawn Elliott has been a voluntary art teacher since the 1980s.
Mrs Elliott became involved with teaching painting classes at Papakura Art Group in the 1980s and started conducting classes as a sole tutor in 1989, which she ran until 1996 when she moved to Paeroa. She was also a committee member of the Papakura Art Group. She has been a member of the Paeroa Society of Arts and the Thames Art Society. She initiated an art exhibition known as ‘Paeroa’s Art in Windows’, wherein shop windows and businesses displayed art works relating to life in Paeroa. She has assisted with holding exhibitions at the Paeroa Society of Arts gallery, and has been the driving force behind local primary schools exhibiting pupils’ work at the gallery. She taught painting classes at Paeroa College under the Continuing Education scheme from 1996 to 2009, when the scheme was discontinued. She then rented a venue to continue teaching art on a voluntary basis for the Paeroa Society of Arts and has done so for the past 10 years. Mrs Elliott was made a Life Member of the Society in 2015.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
FOSTER, Mr Ian Harold
For services to the community
Mr Ian Foster is the founder and CEO of the South Auckland Christian Foodbank (SACFB), a charitable trust he founded in 2008.
The Trust assists more than 700 people per week by providing more than 150 food parcels for individuals and families in need, as well as facilitating budget advice. It employs seven people and has more than 40 volunteers. Mr Foster maintains a hands-on involvement, packing food boxes, picking up donations, making deliveries, engaging with clients, and liaising with budgeting services and companies donating goods. SACFB hosts a community dinner every Wednesday night, and various other courses. He has also been the Chairman of Te Whare Marama o Mangere, a women’s refuge for families affected by domestic violence. Mr Foster has previously been involved with Boys Brigade and ICONZ for many years, a values based programme for boys and young men.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
GRAY, Mrs Audrey Coreen (Coreen)
For services to choral music
Mrs Coreen Gray has been a singer and music teacher on a voluntary basis since the 1980s.
Mrs Gray joined Papamoa Beach Women’s Institute 1981 and has served as President. She was Secretary of the Tauranga Federation for two terms on the Executive. She was the guest vocalist at the 1986 Women’s Institute Conference in Wellington and helped establish the Tauranga Women’s Institute choir in 1993, of which she was choir mistress and conductor. She joined the Oriana Singers in 1985, leading them until 1996, and was a member for a total of 29 years. She was made a Life Member in 2015 and has been patron since 2016. She was a vocalist and accompanist with the Tauranga Civic Choir for 10 years and was made a Life Member in 2013. She volunteers as a singing instructor for people with dementia at Bayswater Retirement Village, as well as working with general residents to stage musical productions four times a year. She also teaches a singing group through the University of the Third Age. Mrs Gray is a member of Registered Music Teachers New Zealand, an organist at St Mary’s Anglican Church in Mt Maunganui, and a member and past conductor of the Te Puke Lyceum Choir.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
HANIFY, Mrs Ella Regina (Ella Buchanan Hanify)
For services to music
Mrs Ella Buchanan Hanify has been involved with music, particularly community and young people’s choirs, for more than 40 years.
Mrs Buchanan Hanify has been musical director of St Peter and Paul Church for 25 of the past 40 years, and organist and advisor throughout this time. She was musical director of Artsplash for 12 years until 2017. She currently directs the Te Awakairangi Youth choir. She has directed the Chilton Saint James School Seraphim and I See Red choirs for the past 25 years. Seraphim has won several awards at the Big Sing competition, toured internationally, and hosted overseas choirs. Seraphim has sung at Anzac services, singing at Tyne Cot, Belgium, for the 90th anniversary of World War One. The choir twice sang national anthems for international rugby tests. Seraphim performed with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in a Christmas concert in 2014. Mrs Buchanan Hanify’s choral compositions are performed by both her choirs and others, and won Best New Zealand Art Song award at the 2009 Big Sing.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
HOLT, Mrs Eileen Margaret
For services to stroke victims and the community
Mrs Eileen Holt has been a leading member of a community support group for stroke victims for the past 34 years.
Mrs Holt helped establish the New Plymouth Stroke Support Trust in 1986 and continues to serve as Patron, after previously holding roles including committee member and President. She has organised monthly meetings, outings, activities and fundraising for hundreds of stroke victims, and until recently produced a monthly newsletter for the Trust’s members. She has been recognised by the Stroke Foundation and the New Plymouth Stroke Support Trust for her long service. She is the secretary of the Norfolk Women’s Institute and an active member of the Waitara Savage Club and her local marching team. Mrs Holt regularly knits singlets for premature newborns at the Taranaki Base Hospital’s Neo Natal Unit and beanies for the Norfolk Women’s Institute to distribute to schools.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
KENNEDY, Ms Donna Marie
For services to people with disabilities
Ms Donna Kennedy has volunteered for Wellington Riding for the Disabled for 17 years and served two terms as President.
Ms Kennedy has served on the Wellington Riding for the Disabled (WRDA) Committee for 16 years, and is a volunteer coach and mentor. In 2017 she stepped down as President to become project manager for the arena rebuild, which was opened in 2019. She was the driving force behind the WRDA’s relocation after a land dispute beginning in 2010, playing a key role in the acquisition of land at Battle Hill and more than $1 million in donations from charitable funders. Ms Kennedy is a trustee for the NZRDA Perpetual Members fund and has previously been a Board member of New Zealand Riding for the Disabled.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
KENNEDY-GOOD, Mr John Charles
For services to the community
Mr John Kennedy-Good has been Chair of the Wellington Night Shelter since 2015 and has been involved with other community organisations in Wellington.
Mr Kennedy-Good has been President of the Wellington Area Council of the Society of St Vincent de Paul since 2014. He has overseen the Society’s delivery of a range of services and is Chair of the Social Justice committee for the Society at the national level. He has been a Red Cross Refugee Support Volunteer for the past four years, assisting 32 former refugees in their resettlement process with various tasks. He has helped secure funding for Catholic Social Services to support refugee resettlement. He helped found and has been a Trustee of the Ella Sophia Charitable Trust since 2017, which provides grants to disadvantaged groups to access housing, health and education. He was on the Board of the Laura Fergusson Trust from 1986 to 2003 and again from 2005 to 2019, serving 15 years in total as Chair. He was President of the Wellington Regional Asthma Association from 2005 to 2012. During the period 1985 to 2003 he was a member or chair of several school boards of trustees. Mr Kennedy-Good is a Trustee of the Christ Church Cottage Museum Trust and Wellington Catholic Homes Trust.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
KUMAR, Mr Pravin, JP
For services to the Indian community
Mr Pravin Kumar led the establishment of the Shri Ram Mandir temple in West Auckland and has been a Managing Trustee of the Shri Ram Mandir Charitable Trust since 2011.
Mr Kumar had observed an acute need for a community centre and a place for religious activities to serve a fast growing Indian and Hindu population in the West Auckland Area. He led the Shri Ram Mandir Charitable Trust in negotiations to purchase the land and plans for the temple and then engaged with the Hindu community across New Zealand and overseas to raise money for construction, with the project being completed in 2015. All functions at the Mandir are fully catered and he has assembled a large team of volunteers that cook, serve, and clean up. He uses his lifestyle block in West Auckland to grow vegetables and provide milk for the Mandir. He has organised the Ramathon charity walks over the years, raising funds for a range of organisations. He played a key role in the creation of the Waitakere Indian Association, serving as its Vice President from 2004 to 2008. Mr Kumar was President of the Waitakere Hindi Language and Cultural School from 2008 to 2011 and has been a member of the Waitemata Police Ethnic Advisory Board since 2017.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
LAMONT, Mr Ronald John David (John)
For services to aviation
Mr John Lamont has been a driving force behind the Warbirds over Wanaka airshow and is one of New Zealand’s most experienced warbird pilots.
Mr Lamont was a pilot for the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) before his 30-year career as a commercial pilot. He flew in the first Warbirds over Wanaka airshow in 1988 and is one of only two pilots to have flown in every show since. He has given countless hours of his time to the organising and running of this event over the past 22 years. As Chief Pilot of the Wanaka based Fighter Collection, he has set and implemented standards of piloting rare and restored aircraft which have been adopted throughout the country. He has flown at airshows in the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Australia and the United States. He was invited to lead the RNZAF’s Red Checkers 50th anniversary flight over Christchurch in 2017. He has voluntarily served as an instructor for the New Zealand Warbirds Association for the past 40 years, is a board member for the New Zealand Airshows Association and a current Incident Manager for Wanaka Search and Rescue.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
LUISI, Mrs Emelita Rosita Selena Simeaanamulu
For services to youth
Mrs Emelita Luisi is a Co-Founder and current Executive Manager of the Ranui 135 Youth Trust, a Youth Development Organisation in Ranui, West Auckland.
Mrs Luisi co-founded Ranui 135 in 2002 as a response to the community’s poor statistics in the areas of education, crime, and unemployment and lack of real opportunities for young people. Ranui 135 supports and encourages positive outcomes for youth, their families, and their communities. She has grown Ranui 135 from a volunteer-led community group of 13 years, into an organisation that now employs seven youth workers. She was previously involved with Westbridge Residential School, a care and protection unit for at risk youth, a Youth Health Worker with the Manukau Youth Centre, and worked with Thrive Teen Parent Support including time as Interim Manager. She was Manager of the Ranui Action Project for a term. Through the organisation, she’s helped establish individual and group mentoring supports, sports modules, innovation and enterprise opportunities, events and employment pathways. Mrs Luisi was a member of the inaugural group that drafted the first youth work code of ethics in the mid-2000s with the then National Youth Workers Network Aotearoa, now known as Ara Taiohi.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MARSHALL, Mr Christopher John
For services to music
Mr Christopher Marshall has been a significant supporter of local musicians and has voluntarily organised concerts in Christchurch for more than 30 years.
Mr Marshall and his wife held 57 house concerts between 1987 and 2000 in conjunction with the Waimakariri Arts Council. He has organised 149 other concerts over 24 years as part of the Sunday Classics and Christopher’s Classic series in some of Christchurch’s major music venues. He continues to volunteer his time as the founder and Chairman of Christopher’s Classics. He has purchased musical instruments and loaned them to some of New Zealand’s leading orchestral musicians. He has provided extensive financial support to many of New Zealand’s premier classical music organisations, including New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand String Quartet, Chamber Music New Zealand and Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, as well as many emerging young musicians. He has supported composers Professor Anthony Ritchie and Professor Ross Harris with commissions of their music. He has funded an annual scholarship to the most outstanding graduate of the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art. Mr Marshall received the Marie Vandewart Memorial Award from Chamber Music New Zealand in 2018.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MARSHALL, Mrs Gayle Patricia June
For services to the community
Mrs Gayle Marshall has been involved in the West Auckland Community in a variety of capacities for more than 40 years.
Mrs Marshall has been a member of numerous community boards over the past 25 years, including Titirangi Community House Management Committee for 16 years, Glen Eden Community House Board for 18 years, Glen Eden Community Protection Society for 22 years, and the Waitakere Christmas Festival Trust for 10 years. She was Chair of Parent Aid Waitakere for 10 years and on the committee for 17 years. She is currently on the Board of Greater Glen Eden. She was instrumental in the establishment of a variety of Community groups including ACE Space Waitakere, Whau ACE New Lynn, Glendene Community Hub and Kelston Community Hub. She has organised the Glen Eden Santa Festival and Parade for 15 years, the Community House National Hui for six years, and the inaugural Waitakere ACE Aotearoa Festival of Learning in 2017. In 2014 she developed a self-walk pamphlet for the Glen Eden Protection Society, showcasing the history of Glen Eden, which was printed by the Waitakere City Council. Mrs Marshall was a member of the Auckland Council Committee that oversaw the New Lynn Railway Tunnel.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MASON, Mr Ewan Cameron
For services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the community
Mr Ewan Mason has been a member of the Ranfurly Volunteer Fire Brigade since 1973, including 10 years as Chief Fire Officer within a total of 25 years as an Officer.
Mr Mason established and developed the Maniototo Community Speaker System, of which he is custodian and operating engineer on a voluntary basis. Through this community asset, he has provided sound and lighting systems for local events and attractions in and around Maniototo for the past 47 years. Such events include the Maniototo RSA ANZAC Day services, annual A&P shows, the St Bathans Ghost to Ghost Triathlons, the Maniototo Rural Art Deco Festivals, the Annual Central Otago Rail Trail Duathlon, public functions, school events, and various community fundraising initiatives. He has supported the Maniototo Primary Schools Athletic Sports event for 36 years and has provided sound and lighting for the Ranfurly Musical and Dramatic Society’s productions for more than 40 years. He established, and has since provided technical support for the ‘Burn 729’ local community radio station for 37 years. He has represented New Zealand internationally as a bagpiper, playing in Tattoos and festivals internationally, notably the Royal Tattoo at Windsor Castle in 2010 and two seasons at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Mr Mason voluntarily teaches the bagpipes to local students.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MCCORKINDALE, Mr Neil Malcolm, JP
For services to hockey administration
Mr Neil McCorkindale has been a hockey volunteer in the Auckland region for more than 60 years.
Mr McCorkindale was Vice President of the Auckland Hockey Umpires Association from 1998 to 2016 and umpired high school hockey from 1977 to 2016. He played and began umpiring junior hockey in the late 1950s and 1960s. He was a board member of the Auckland Hockey Association from 2006 to 2014 and chaired the Club Council from 2007 to 2014. He has been Vice President and Judicial Commissioner of the Auckland Hockey Association for the past 13 years. He continues to umpire senior hockey grades on a weekly basis with the Association. He has been made a Life Member of both the Auckland Hockey Association and the Auckland Hockey Umpires Association. He has been a match director at New Zealand national hockey tournaments and was the umpire for a World Masters hockey final in Auckland. Mr McCorkindale has received several Auckland sport awards recognising his contributions.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MCFALL, Mr Morris Samuel
For services to the community and philanthropy
Mr Morris McFall founded the McFall Group of Companies and has contributed funds, time and resources towards a range of charitable and philanthropic causes.
Mr McFall began his career in dairy farming and was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship in 1969. He is a Past President and Life Member of the New Zealand Contractors Federation and served as an Executive member from 1971 to 1998. He is both a Fellow and Life Member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and was awarded the Sir Bob Owens Trophy for an outstanding contribution to the logistics supply chain, transport sector, and the community. He was a Waikato Regional Councillor from 1992 to 2001 and chaired the Regional Land Transport Committee for this period. He joined Te Awamutu Rotary Club in 1978 where he was a founding member of the Pirongia Forest Park Lodge. He personally carried out all of the site development and access roading. He also constructed and installed the viewing platform for the Te Awamutu Rose Gardens as a Rotary project. He has been a member of the Mount Rotary Club since relocating to Mount Maunganui in 2002. In 2005 Mr McFall built a rehabilitation centre and gym for disabled people with emphasis on spinal injuries and congenital diseases.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MCGLINCHEY, Mr Trevor John
For services to Māori and the community
Mr Trevor McGlinchey has been the Executive Officer of the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services since 2007.
Mr McGlinchey was a member of the Welfare Expert Advisory Group in 2018 and was on the reference groups for the Green and White Papers for Vulnerable Children. In 1986, he founded the Te Mahi o Waitaki Trust in Oamaru, a kaupapa Māori trust that developed and operated numerous social enterprises and community initiatives. He was managing director of the Trust from 1986 to 1998. He is the Chair of Moeraki Ltd., a marae-based charitable company, and a past Chair of Te Ana Whakairo Ltd., a social enterprise based on Māori tourism. Mr McGlinchey is a Trustee of Ngā Tangata Microfinance Trust.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MCGOWAN, Mr Robert Edward, JP
For services to Māori and conservation
Mr Robert McGowan has been involved with Ngā Whenua Rahui since 2006, a contestable Ministerial fund established in 1991 to provide funding for the protection of indigenous ecosystems on Māori land.
Mr McGowan is one of the foremost authorities on rongoā Māori (traditional Māori medicine) and has helped to restore the practice in New Zealand over the past 25 years. He is a co-initiator and trustee of Tane’s Tree Trust, a non-profit charitable trust established in 2000 that encourages landowners to sustainably plant and manage indigenous trees for multiple uses. He was the founding Chair of the Kaimai-Mamaku Catchments Forum from 2006 to 2018 and was involved in ensuring that the Tauranga Harbour and Waihou Catchments were managed sustainably. He has been a long-time member of the Bay of Plenty Conservation Board and is a past Chairman. He runs a small nursery to support the local Waitao Landcare Group. In 2018, Mr McGowan was awarded the Loder Cup for 25 years of contribution to investigating, promoting, retaining and cherishing New Zealand’s indigenous flora.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MCKERRAS, Mrs Olga Patrina
For services to the community
Mrs Olga McKerras has volunteered in the Whanganui community for several decades in a number of roles.
Mrs McKerras was a Budget Advisor with the Whanganui Budget Advisory Service for more than 30 years until retiring in 2019. She guided a number of families and clients out of debt and in one year at the Budget Advisory Service, she managed 365 individual client cases, more than 40 percent of the total clients for the centre that year. For a number of years she has provided Christmas gifts for families accessing the Budget Advisory Service at her own cost, averaging around $300 per year. She was made a Life Member of the Whanganui Budget Advisory Service in 2015. She has been involved with delivering Meals on Wheels for 40 years and has had a 20 year involvement with Plunket. Mrs McKerras has been a front of house volunteer at the Royal Whanganui Opera House for more than 20 years.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
PATEL, Mr Suresh Chunilal, JP
For services to the community and sport
Mr Suresh Patel has been active in sport and business in the Tararua district for a number of years.
Mr Patel was the Chairman of the Dannevirke Chamber of Commerce on two separate occasions, originally between 2008 and 2012 helping to prevent it from going into recession and then driving the growth of the association over the past 13 years. During his time as Chairman from 2013 to 2015 he revitalised the Dannevirke Christmas parade, which has grown over the past five years under his leadership. He was the Chairman of Dannevirke Cricket Association from 2002 to 2010 and President of the Central District Indian Sports for 14 years from 1996 to 2010. He has been a delegate and selector with the New Zealand Indian Sports Association for a number of years and has helped to organize various New Zealand Indian Sports tournaments. He has been a coach, referee and a member of a number of different sports clubs and teams across cricket, hockey, and rugby. Mr Patel was made an Honoured Member of the New Zealand Indian Sports Association in 2012, and Life Member of the Central District Indian Sports Club in 2016 and the Dannevirke Chamber of Commerce in 2017.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
PIHIGIA, Mrs Molima Molly
For services to Niuean art and the community
Mrs Molima Pihigia has contributed to the Niuean arts community and founded the Falepipi He Mafola Niue Handcraft Group in 1993.
Falepipi He Mafola maintains and promotes the art of weaving, as well as Niuean language, heritage and culture. Falepipi He Mafola led to the establishment of the Niuean Women’s Handcraft Group, which won the Pacific Heritage Art Award in 2009. The Handcraft Group has also been committed to raising awareness of waste minimisation within the Niuean community and Mrs Pihigia has utilised recycled materials in her art. She has served Falepipi He Mafola in a variety of capacities, and is currently Secretary and a tutor. She is actively involved in the art of Niuean weaving, hosting showcases at the Pacific Festival in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and running community workshops. She has been a tutor and heritage weaving artist for Tupumaiga A Niue Trust since 2010. She has been recognised within the Niuean arts and crafts community for bridging gaps between youth, whānau and tupuna through weaving. Mrs Pihigia is also an active member of PIPC Church Newtown.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
RASMUSSEN, Afamasaga Agnes
For services to education and the Pacific community
Afamasaga Agnes Rasmussen has been involved with the education and community service sectors for more than 50 years.
Afamasaga Agnes has taught at primary, intermediate, and secondary levels, and is currently a teacher at St Mary McKillop Catholic School in Mangere. She has been a committee member of St Theresa’s Catholic Church for the past 52 years and was a founding member of the Mangere Writers’ Group in 2017. She has organised seminars and training sessions for Sunday School teachers for Samoan Catholic Schools in Auckland. She has been a member of the Post Primary Teachers Association’s Multicultural Education Advisory Committee and the Hillary Commission Women’s Task Force for Recreation and Sport. She has volunteered for PACIFICA Inc. for more than 40 years and is a Life Member of the Manukau branch. Afamasaga Agnes has volunteered to provide training and English lessons to new Samoan migrants in Auckland and was the first Pacific woman to be appointed to the Social Welfare Commission.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
REID, Mr Roy
For services to seniors
Mr Roy Reid has been Treasurer of the Grey Power New Zealand Federation since 2014.
Mr Reid has been a voluntary member and President of Grey Power Golden Bay Association for close to 20 years, also serving as Zone Director for the top of the South Island. He was previously a member of several Westland community organisations including the Westland District Council. In 2010 he was elected National President of Grey Power and has led a team to modernise the organisation. He has held the portfolios for the 50 plus group, and Law, Order and Justice and is a member of the Health and Superannuation Committee. He is chair of the Federation’s Finance and Investment and Aged Care and Retirement Villages National Advisory Groups. He has been a key member of the Grey Power Advocacy Team. He was a member of the Canterbury Education Board for nine years and of the InterRAI New Zealand Governance Board for 10 years until January 2020. He has chaired the Golden Bay Community Service Vehicle Trust and drives elderly people and those with disabilities to medical appointments across the Bay and in Nelson. Mr Reid has chaired the Golden Bay Community Health Group and has been Secretary/Treasurer of the Takaka Bowling Club since 2001.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
ROBB, Miss Melva Joy
For services to rural communities and women
Miss Melva Robb is the Marlborough Area Committee Chair for Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ), which supports rural communities to ensure that the voices of rural women and their families are heard.
Miss Robb has previously served as an elected member of the National Council of RWNZ and has been made a National Member of Honour. She is currently the Acting Leadership Councillor for Region Three, covering the West Coast, Golden Bay, Nelson and Marlborough. She first became involved with RWNZ as a junior member of the Women’s Division of Federated Farmers at age 12. She is a Trustee of the Top of the South Rural Support Trust, supporting rural people and communities during adverse events and at difficult times. Following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake, she organised and collected donations and supplies for affected communities through Rural Women’s Adverse Events Relief Fund and the Rural Support Trust. Miss Robb helps organise the 101 Ways with Wool festival in Blenheim.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
ROBINSON, Mr Ian Arthur, JP
For services to surf lifesaving and the community
Mr Ian Robinson has volunteered for the Waihi Beach Surf Lifesaving Club / Lifeguard Service (WBSLSC) since 1953.
Mr Robinson held the positions of President, Secretary, lifesaver, instructor, examiner, logistics officer, maintenance officer, and is a Life Member of the Club. For more than 30 years, he has organised and sponsored the Annual Waihi Beach Fun Run, an event that has raised many thousands of dollars for the Club. He is very active in running the Annual Waihi Beach New Year’s Children’s Sports Day, the longest running family sports day in New Zealand. He volunteered for the Waihi Police’s search and rescue operations for 45 years. In 2012, he was the world champion triathlete in the 75-79 year old category. He continues to take guided tours around the Waihi Beach area, donating all proceeds to the WBSLSC, as well as taking people on tours in his boat with these proceeds going to the local St John Ambulance Association. He helps generally in the community by coaching young athletes, chopping firewood, running errands, donating produce, and handing out Christmas dinners to those in need, all undertaken on a voluntary basis. Mr Robinson has been a Justice of the Peace for 28 years and has been a Councillor and President on the Hauraki Justices of the Peace Association Committee.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
ROCHE, Mr Terence John (Terry)
For services to the community
Mr Terry Roche has been a volunteer in the Tawa community for almost 50 years.
Mr Roche has been an active member of the Tawa Lions Club for 44 years, holding positions including President and Deputy District Governor. He has also volunteered for the Kapiti Mana Police for 25 years, primarily in victim support services. He is a Senator and Life Member of New Zealand JCI Senators Inc., a Jaycee alumni group, and has been Treasurer since 2002. He is an active member of St Christopher’s Church in Tawa and has volunteered at Redwood School, initially as a religious instruction tutor. More recently he has been involved for the past five years with the Bookworm Club, a collective of parents and grandparents working with students who are struggling or disengaged with reading. He has been a member of Tawa Indoor Bowls for 25 years, including serving as Club Captain for 17 years and Club President for two years. Mr Roche has been Treasurer of the Tawa Midweek Table Tennis Club for 20 years and contributed significantly toward the Club’s 50th Anniversary celebrations in 2016.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
SCADDEN, Mr Richard Alexander
For services to the community
Mr Richard Scadden has been involved with a range of community organisations in Granity and the wide Buller area.
Mr Scadden has been an active member of Freemasons New Zealand since 1972, being appointed to multiple high offices throughout this time. He initiated a support programme for the West Coast Helicopter Rescue Service. He volunteered for the Scout Association of New Zealand for 20 years and was District Commissioner for Wellington East for three years. He has been a member of the Northern Buller Communities Society Inc. for 26 years, including time as Deputy Chairman, and remains an executive member. He was a member of the Granity Beautification Committee for 19 years, Chairman of South Granity Water Board for seven years, and a volunteer with the Buller Citizen’s Advice Bureau for 23 years. He has been involved with Westport RSA for 24 years, where he is sub-Branch Secretary and organises and runs both the Granity Dawn Parade and the Waimangaroa Community Service. He has been involved with the Granity Reserve Board for 10 years and was Treasurer and Chairman. Mr Scadden has been an active fundraiser for several other organisations in the community.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
SHAH, Mr Afiff, JP
For services to the Muslim community and football
Mr Afiff Shah organised a place of worship for Muslims at a vacant New Zealand Army barracks at Walters Road, Takanini in the 1990s.
Following notice that the barracks would be removed, Mr Shah initiated the buying of a property for a permanent place of worship in conjunction with others in the Muslim community. This led to the establishment of the Al Irqa Islamic Trust in 2000 and the purchase of a property in Takanini. He has been a member of the South Auckland Muslim Association for the past 30 years, assisting Muslims on a voluntary basis, and was Council Chairman of the Association from 2009 to 2011. He was Chairman of the Papatoetoe United Football Club from 1998 to 2000, and Coach of the club from 1997 to 2000. He was also the founding President of New Zealand Fiji Soccer Inc., now known as New Zealand Fiji Football Association Inc., from 2006 to 2010. He was instrumental in establishing the Association. Mr Shah is a volunteer adviser for the Pakuranga Citizens Advice Bureau Immigration Clinic and has been a Justice of the Peace for the past 15 years.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
SHARP, Mr William Mitchell (Bill)
For services to youth
Mr Bill Sharp has run the Futures Programme for at-risk students for the past 24 years.
Mr Sharp established a support programme for teenage boys in 1997, initially established with a sports focus and which continues to this day as the Futures Programme. His programme supports students who are seen to be “slipping through the cracks” of society, where he provides physical, spiritual and emotional wellbeing services. On Tuesdays and Thursdays each week he begins an exercise session in the morning for the students and provides each of them with a breakfast, usually at his own expense, followed by a mentoring session before the students attend a regular school day. As a result of this programme, he has personally helped dozens of young men to get their life back in the right direction. Mr Sharp has also given more than 30 years of service to local sports clubs in the Wellington region, and more than 15 years of service to athletics coaching.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
SINGH, Mrs Maher Angez
For services to seniors and the community
Mrs Maher Singh has volunteered in the aged care sector and the wider community for the past 20 years.
Mrs Singh has been an executive member of the New Zealand Indian Senior Citizens Association (ISCA) and the New Zealand Fijian Senior Citizens Association (FSCA) since 2000. She was the Chair of ISCA from 2007 to 2011 and is the current Chair of FSCA, having originally been its founder in 2012. She works with the New Zealand Police and social support providers to assist seniors who are victims of elder abuse. She frequently visits seniors at their homes, rest homes or in hospital, as well as organising outings and monthly meetings. She voluntarily organises and implements a lunch delivery service for low-decile schools in Manakau and frequently fundraises for vulnerable families, victims of domestic violence and other people and groups in need. She is regularly involved in collecting donations for the Blind Foundation and has volunteered to provide catering for a cricket tournament for blind players. Mrs Singh has been a member of the Point Chevalier Lions Club, through which she has been involved with several community projects.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
SMITH, Mr Barry John
For services to football and historical research
Mr Barry Smith has been gathering and recording New Zealand football data for 67 years in various roles.
Mr Smith founded, and edited for 20 years, the New Zealand Soccer Annual and has been honorary historian for New Zealand Football since 1987. He has also been a contributor to virtually every association or club history published in New Zealand. He is a Life Member of New Zealand Football and a recipient, in 2002 and 2018, of national awards for service to the game. In 2017 he received a Long Service award from Auckland Football Federation for his work, since 1968, in supplying player histories for football clubs in the Northern Region. Mr Smith has also carried out similar recording for football clubs elsewhere in New Zealand since 1968.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
SMITH, Mrs Lynn Patricia (Lynn Gilbert-Smith)
For services to dance education
Mrs Lynn Gilbert-Smith has been teaching dance for 50 years and established her own studio, the Lynn Gilbert Dance Studio (now LGS Dance), when she was 16 years old.
LGS Dance currently has 280 students, which Mrs Gilbert-Smith oversees with the assistance of her teachers. She has been a committee member of the New Plymouth Competitions Society for the past 30 years and is convenor of the ballet and jazz component of this festival. She is an examiner and adjudicator for national competitions and examinations. She established the Gilbert-Smith Trust in 1987, with the goal of raising funds to assist dance students to progress their skills and achieve their goals. Mrs Gilbert-Smith has also been involved as a choreographer for the New Plymouth Operatic Society.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
TAYLOR, Ms Marie Jane
For services to horticulture and native revegetation
Ms Marie Taylor has single-handedly developed a thriving native plant nursery that grows more than 150,000 native plants annually.
Ms Taylor owns and manages Plant Hawke’s Bay Ltd, a native plant nursery supplying the Hawke’s Bay revegetation market with eco-sourced, wholesale native plants. She established the nursery in 2005 as a small part-time business and has overseen its steady growth. Her work has contributed to the survival of rare native species in the region. She is the founder and Chair of the Hawke’s Bay Botanical Group and a Trustee of Puahanui, a large area of native bush in Central Hawke’s Bay. She was part of the Implementation Planning Group who wrote the Hawke’s Bay Biodiversity Action Plan 2017-2020. She was a regional representative on the QEII National Trust from 1990 to 2005 and is a Board member of New Zealand Plant Producers Inc., the nursery industry body. Ms Taylor was named the Supreme Winner of the NZI Rural Women Business Awards in 2018.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
TAYLOR, Mr Neil Alexander
For services to people with intellectual disabilities and the community
Mr Neil Taylor has volunteered for IHC since 1978 and is involved with the wider Hawera community.
Mr Taylor has until recently been Chairperson of the Board of IHC New Zealand and a Director of Accessible Properties Ltd. He is currently a Director of IHC New Zealand. He was previously President of IHC South Taranaki from 1986 to 1996 and was made a Life Member of IHC New Zealand in 1998. His Chartered Accountancy Company provided scholarships to students of Hawera High School. He was Deputy Chairman of the Board of Hawera High School for three years followed by three years as Chairman. He has volunteered advisory and mentoring services to the community and assisted local organisations with fundraising for various projects including a movie theatre. He was involved with the Hawera Repertory Society for a number of years in various roles. He is a member of the Audit Committee of Te Korowai O Ngaruahine Trust in Hawera. Mr Taylor is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
THOMAS, Mr Thomas James (Jim)
For services to victim support and the community
Mr Jim Thomas was employed with Victim Support Marlborough from 2001 to 2007 as a Service Coordinator and has since continued his involvement with the organisation as a volunteer.
Mr Thomas was a trainer for new volunteers and has undertaken a range of fundraising initiatives. He was on the Marlborough Victim Support Local group committee and held governance positions including Chairman and Treasurer. He was recognised as a Homicide Specialist Worker within Victim Support and through this position has dealt with many challenging and demanding situations. He has volunteered with Restorative Justice Marlborough since 2003 and assisted the Blenheim Police to set up Community Patrols. He has been involved with Lions since 1983 and the Blenheim Lions Club since 1990. He has been President, Treasurer and Zone Chairman and chaired the 202e District Conventions in 2007 and 2017 and the Multiple Districts Convention in 2019. He has convened the Blenheim Lions firewood project, delivering firewood to those in need. He was also involved in initiating the Club’s predator trapping project with a trapping line along the lower Opawa River. Mr Thomas was a founding member of the Marlborough Stadium 2000 Trust from 2001 to 2006 and has supported the Rarangi Golf club by helping organise and run golf tournaments.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
THORNE, Mr Stuart John Lewis
For services to conservation and search and rescue
Mr Stuart Thorne has contributed to conservation, search and rescue, and outdoor recreation for 50 years.
Mr Thorne worked with the Lands and Survey Department and then the Department of Conservation for 40 years. Earlier in his career, he achieved outstanding results in eradicating lagarosiphon major from Lake Wanaka. He helped reintroduce Buff Weka to the islands of Lake Wanaka in 2001 and the South Island Robin to the West Matukituki Valley in 2008. The South Island Robin population has since increased from 25 birds to approximately 400. He volunteers for the Matukituki Charitable Trust and DOC with trapping and monitoring programmes and as a Hut Warden in the Mt Aspiring National Park. From 1984 to 2014 he was a Search and Rescue Police Advisor in Wanaka region and was involved in more than 150 search and rescue missions, many of which took place in difficult and dangerous conditions. He was instrumental in establishing the Upper Clutha Tramping Club and has volunteered for Te Kakano, which replants native trees in the Upper Clutha area. He was a member of the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council for 29 years, including a term as Chairperson. Mr Thorne has been President of Wanaka Jaycees, Secretary of the Wanaka Lions Club, and a Group Leader for Wanaka Venturer Scouts.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
TOHILL, Mrs Myra Jill (Billie)
For services to the community
Mrs Billie Tohill has been an active volunteer in the Central Otago community for more than 60 years.
Mrs Tohill has been a member of the Central Otago Pony Club since 1957. She was the Club’s head instructor from 1985 to 2001 and has been the District Commissioner since 2002. She started a new branch, the Clyde Pony Club, in 1963. She has been Coach, President, and Secretary of the Clyde Club. She has been involved with the Clyde Theatre Group since 1947 and has been Musical Director of various shows for the Alexandra Musical Society since 1979. For the past 24 years she has been a key organiser and musical director for the Alexandra Blossom Festival Senior Queen event, celebrating the contributions of older women in the community. She has been an organist for the St John the Baptist Church in Alexandra for 60 years. For the past 15 years, she has been providing musical therapy for people with intellectual disabilities through Living Options. Mrs Tohill is an Honorary Life Member of Clyde/Alexandra RSA and a Life Member of Clyde Pony Club, Central Otago Pony Club, and Clyde Theatre Group.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
WALKER, Mr Ian Norman
For services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Mr Ian Walker joined the Kaikoura Volunteer Fire Brigade in 1979 and has been Chief Fire Officer since 1985.
Mr Walker played a key role in responding to the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. Despite his own home and business being severely damaged, he took a lead role in the earthquake response until more assistance arrived. With no phone network, the Brigade worked four-hour shifts manning the 111 number near the Council. Over the ensuing days he played a major role in communicating with the community and liaising with Urban Search and Rescue, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, the New Zealand Defence Force and other stakeholders. He provided vehicles from his own business to assist with the earthquake response. He held a position on the Kaikoura District Council from 1986 to 1992. He has been a Trustee Member of the Community Vehicle Trust Board since 2011. Mr Walker was made a Life Member of Kaikoura Fire Brigade in 2002.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
WALKER, Mr Malcolm Alan
For services to sport and education
Mr Malcolm Walker was a teacher in central Southland for more than 35 years, including 23 years as Principal of Limehills School, and has contributed to sport in the wider community.
Mr Walker was Chairperson of the regional principal support network and sat on a variety of education-based committees, including the Central Primary Schools' Sports Association. He has coached schoolchildren's cricket for more than 40 years and has volunteered for Central Western Cricket Club in a range of roles from groundsman to secretary, treasurer and manager. He was a member of Southland Primary Schools Athletics Committee and has been an athletics coach. He has helped drive fundraising for the Winton Skate Park, the establishment of the Limehills Swimming Pool, and was a foundation member of the Central Southland Squash Club. He has chaired the Deep Cove Hostel Trust Education Sub-committee. He has coached and organised various Central Southland Rugby, Touch and Basketball club, school and representative teams. Mr Walker has represented New Zealand in Master's Cricket.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
WESTERN, Mrs Margaret Mary
For services to migrant and refugee communities
Mrs Margaret Western was a key member of the group that identified the need for a facility where migrants could access information and services to support the increasing number of migrants coming to live in the Marlborough community, and led the development of the Marlborough Migrant Centre, established in 2007.
The Centre’s service delivery focuses on linking new arrivals to local populations from their country and navigating them to relevant agencies that aid their settlement process. As Manager of the Centre until 2020, Mrs Western’s key focus has been on delivering programmes and services that support migrants’ successful settlement pathway and equally importantly, fosters unity in diversity and connectedness with the host community. She is a key member of the steering group preparing the community for the first intake of former refugees coming to Marlborough in 2020. She has organised the Multicultural Festival in Marlborough since 2009, the inaugural Diwali Festival and International Women’s Evenings. Mrs Western has volunteered for IHC Marlborough, the Marlborough Budgeting Service, Child Cancer Foundation, is former President of ESOL Marlborough, current Chairperson of the Star of the Sea Cultural Committee, and a Marlborough Community Organisations’ Grants Scheme Board member.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
WHALEY, Mrs Alexa Learmonth
For services to historical research and heritage preservation
Mrs Alexa Whaley has been involved with the heritage in the Hokianga community for more than 30 years.
Mrs Whaley was a driving force behind establishing the Hokianga Museum and Archives Centre in new premises in Omapere in 2010. She helped develop the layout of the new building, applied for grants and fundraised for the refurbishment of the new premises. She has been the Curator of the Museum for 20 years, the principal researcher for the Hokianga Historical Society for 30 years and a member of its Executive for 28 years. Her involvement has helped develop the Museum as a significant tourist attraction in the area. She was made a Life Member of the Hokianga Historical Society. She has been writing regular newsletters for members for the past 20 years. Within the wider community, Mrs Whaley has been a member of Hokianga Rural Women for 17 years, Secretary of South Hokianga St John from 2005 to 2011 and a Caring Caller for the elderly, as well as a support person for the Mainly Music programme for pre-school children.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
WILLIAMS, Mr Roger Lewis
For services to conservation
Mr Roger Williams has been an active conservation volunteer for more than 20 years and has helped to design and construct a wide variety of features in nature reserves and parks in the Auckland and Waikato regions.
As a civil engineer, Mr Williams designed and led the building of the 16 metre high viewing tower at the Maungatautari Ecological Island Reserve. He has designed and built walkways, boardwalks and bridges and cycleways in various local parks and nature reserves surrounding the Warkworth area, such as the Tawharanui Regional Park, Kowhai Park, the Cement Works Walkway, and Matheson Bay Kohuroa Track. At the Parry Kauri Park he designed and built two Kauri Dieback Forest Hygiene Stations as a prototype for other at risk areas. He has been an active member of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society for more than 40 years and in more recent years has run their local weeding and planting teams. Mr Williams has also been a member of the Tawharanui Open Sanctuary Society for 15 years and the Warkworth Area Liaison Group, the local community action group, for 8 years.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
WINTER, Mr Gareth David
For services to historical research
Mr Gareth Winter has been the Archivist at the Wairarapa Archive since 1997 and has researched both Māori and European history in the area.
Mr Winter has written hundreds of newspaper stories on local history and developed the Wairarapa Archive into a well-used institution, regarded as the premier provincial Archive in Australasia. Under his leadership, the Archive now includes more than two million photographs, 23,000 of which have been digitised. The Archive has been entrusted with a photocopied record of 40 volumes of Native Land Court Minutes that are an important record of the whakapapa of Wairarapa Māori. He has presented historical talks to schools, community groups and at community events. He is Vice-Chairman of the Wairarapa Archival Society, which has published 31 books, of which he has authored six. He has authored a further five books outside of the Archival Society. He is a member of the Archives Council. As a member of the Wairarapa Historic Places Trust he helped to obtain inclusion of 200 buildings for District recognition and protection. He was a past Board member of the Aratoi Art and History Museum in Masterton. He is a past Board member and current financial fellowship provider for New Zealand Pacific Studio. Mr Winter established the Lavinia Winter Fellowship aimed at women interested in writing or art.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
WRIGHT, Ms Gwenyth Mary
For services to women and the community
Ms Gwenyth Wright established the Thames Women’s Loan Fund (WLF) in 2003, providing community-led microcredit to women without charging interest.
The Thames WLF is a mutual microcredit scheme for women who need help to establish a small business, study, or stabilise their financial situation. Ms Wright has been a Trustee of the Fund since its inception, and it continues to grow to this day. Prior to establishing the Thames WLF, she was a founding Trustee of the Wellington WLF from 1992 to 2002. She established the Organic Strategy Group in 2003, which contributes to a greater understanding of organic horticulture in the community. She has organised earth building workshops and an organic farming intern scheme for youth established in 2009. She worked with the Thames Coromandel District Council in 2015 to arrange land for natural burials, a project that has seen the establishment of a flourishing natural burial garden visible from the main road south of Thames. Ms Wright edited the Women in Agriculture newsletter from 1982 to 1992.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
YALDEN, Mrs Diane Stretton
For services to the community
Mrs Diane Yalden has volunteered in the Taneatua community for more than 25 years.
Mrs Yalden has volunteered for the Taneatua Community Board for 25 years, including time as Deputy Chairperson from 2007 and Chairperson from 2013. She has been caterer for the Taneatua Lions for 25 years, running a fundraiser with all proceeds going towards the Taneatua Voluntary Fire Brigade. She has been a Support Officer for the Taneatua Voluntary Fire Brigade since 1996 and was made a Life Member in 2018 in recognition of her fundraising and commitment to the Brigade. She has been a member of the Eastern Bay of Plenty Justices of the Peace Association since 1994, has been a Council member since 2002 and Registrar since 2004. She was a volunteer librarian for Taneatua School from 1981 to 1984 and Treasurer for the Taneatua Squash Club from 1994 to 2000. Mrs Yalden also volunteered with the Taneatua Athletic and Tennis Clubs until they were incorporated into larger clubs in Whakatane in 2001.
