Newspaper Article 2014 – Community volunteers recognised

Community volunteers recognised

Outstanding community volunteers were recognised for their efforts by the Hastings District Council at an awards ceremony on Monday night. Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule presented the Civic Honours Awards to one group and nine individuals during a public ceremony at the Cheval Room, Hawke’s Bay Racing Centre, Hastings. Mr Yule said this year’s winners were outstanding people who had done voluntary work in their communities for decades. The awards are presented annually by the council to recognise individuals, groups or voluntary organisations which have made significant contributions to the local community.

Long service for seniors

By Patrick O’Sullivan
[email protected]

Health and Welfare Award winner Peggy van Asch improved the quality of life for countless Hawke’s Bay seniors.

She worked tirelessly for the Hawke’s Bay Trust for the Elderly for 18 years, where she incessantly funds raised to buy vans for groups such as Heretaunga Seniors, Lusk Home, Mahana Centre, CHB Age Concern, Alzheimers Napier, the Pukeora Trust, and the Pakeke Centre.

“Transport for the oldies was a real, real problem,” she said.

In the mid 1980s she became concerned at the state of Duart House when showing children through it. She approached the Havelock North Borough Council with the proposal to form a society that would look after the building.

Her drive and persistence led to the formation of the Duart House Society and over the past 30 years the building has become an elegant and popular venue for community functions.

She is a founding trustee of the Havelock North Community Centre Trust, playing an integral part in its growth into a flourishing function centre.

The community has benefited immensely from her vision, commitment and quiet hard work.

She said her community work was no hard slog and all people with some “spare time in the day” should consider it.

“I have to say I’ve enjoyed it,” she said.

Photo caption – TIRELESS: Health and Welfare Award winner Peggy van Asch enjoys her community work.

Building something special

By Patrick O’Sullivan
[email protected]

General Community Service Award winner Bob Hall has been on Habitat for Humanity’s board for 15 years, in which time 12 houses have been completed in the Hastings/ Napier area.

A highlight was when he was project manager and concept designer of a house built in two parts by Hawke’s Bay Prison inmates in 2011, which attracted the attention of national television. When completed, the house was lifted over the prison fence then transported to its Hastings site. The project proved to be a very positive activity for the inmates.

Last year, as part of the Anderson Park Community Group, he organised materials, tools and work for a beautification project in O’Connell Place, Havelock North, under the Hastings District Council’s Street by Street programme. Residents came out to help, and much was accomplished with fire brigade help.

Mr Hall is continuing this involvement by helping with the Community Garden/Family Activity Area in Mangarau Cres, as well as organising and running the Community Toolbox Project.

He and his wife Margaret are active members of Arohanui Christian Centre, where he is chairman of the Board of Trustees, the Management Team and the Missions Committee.

The couple have a family of nine children and 18 grandchildren.

Photo caption – TIRELESS: General Community Service Award winner Bob Hall has seen 12 Habitat for Humanity houses built in his 15 years with the organisation.

For love of Flaxmere

By Sam Hurley
[email protected]

Bert Lincoln has been patrolling the community he loves for the past eight years and keeping the streets his three children grew up on safer.

The 72-year-old first arrived in Flaxmere in 1971 and has been the co-ordinator of the Flaxmere Community Patrol since its origin eight years ago.

On Monday night he was honoured at the Civic Honours Awards ceremony for his protective service to the satellite suburb.

The awards are presented annually by the Hastings District Council to recognise individuals, groups or voluntary organisations that have contributed significantly to the local community.

“I love Flaxmere, I will defend it till the end. . . I have three kids, all adults now, and the Flaxmere schools took really good care of them,” Mr Lincoln said. “We’ve had out little bits of negativity but it’s only the few here, we look after the good ones and work on the bad.”

The best part about being on patrol was the camaraderie and friendships he had developed with the 32 other members, he said.

Mr Lincoln was humbled to receive the award and said one woman’s letter to him showed the difference the patrol had made.

“I’m glad I can sleep at night, knowing you are out there,” the letter read.

Photo caption – EARNED: Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule (left) hands Bert Lincoln his award.

Riddell:  38 years’ guiding

By Amy Shanks
[email protected]

Glenys Riddell was just 8-years-old when she first became involved with the Girl Guides as a bright-eyed brownie.

Since then she has dedicated much of her adult life to the organisation, taking on various positions. At last night’s Civic Honours awards she was recognised for more than 38 years of active participation.

“I was a guide leader in Onga Onga for many years, then I was a camp trainer and a guide trainer,” she said.

“I have been an international advisor for Hawke’s Bay, also a camp advisor for Hawke’s Bay, running provincial and international camps”.

Ms Riddell also travelled to India in 1989 to represent Girl Guides and assist with training. Today she is a member of the Trefoil Guild, supporting current Guides, Brownies and the community.

“The friends I have made serving in India, I have still got an association with, we meet up in a different country every three years. I also love working with the Guides themselves, just watching them grow into lovely young ladies.”

Photo caption – GIVING BACK: Glenys Riddell.

Keeping city on time

By Roger Moroney

For more than 40 years Hastings electrician Norm Treneman has had time in his hands rather than on his hands.

He has been the devoted volunteer time-keeper of the city’s historic town clock and that devotion resulted in his being recognised for a Civic Honours Award – something he was pleased to accept although he admitted “I’m not really into that sort of thing”.

It had been a unique labour of love for the 73-year-old whose duties have now been taken over by Wayne Clark.

Mr Treneman had his first brush with the time- piece, which runs off just 36 volts and runs five bells, when he was an apprentice with Hector Jones.

He then started his own electrical business and eventually took over the voluntary role of keeping the timepiece running.

And he has loved every second of it.

While much of the clock’s mechanism is old it has a solid reputation for doing the job – thanks to Mr Treneman’s maintenance and repair work.

“It’s a wonderful thing,” he said of the workings which are reached at the top of many ladder steps. While the original tower came down in the 1931 earthquake the four chiming bells and main striking bell were all saved and installed in it when it was rebuilt in 1935.

Photo caption – DEVOTED: Norm Treneman has been Hastings’ volunteer timekeeper for 40 years.