The King’s Service Medal:
BALDWIN, Ms Heather Jayne
For services to the community
Ms Heather Baldwin has contributed to the community of Karori for 30 years.
Ms Baldwin has and continues to hold voluntary positions in many Karori community organisations including committee and trust chair, deputy chair and membership roles, some of which have required governance and/or administrative responsibilities. Her current voluntary involvement is close to the equivalent of a full-time role. She was instrumental in the establishment of the Karori Kindergarten and was Karori Plunket Creche Licensee. She served three terms on the Board of Trustees for Karori Normal School as Chair and a member. She has served on the Karori Community Centre Board since 2005, and has been Chair since 2015. She also currently chairs the Karori Community Hall Trust and the Karori Business Association, and is a member of the Marsden and Chelsea Daycare Trusts. She has in the past served on the Karori Brooklyn Community Charitable Trust, and Campbell Kindergarten and Waterside Karori AFC committees. Ms Baldwin is well-regarded for her strategic thinking, community leadership and her motivation of others.
The King’s Service Medal:
BARRETT, Mrs Tina May, JP
For services to the community
Mrs Tina Barrett (Te Arawa, Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao, Ngāti Rangiwewehi) has served her community for 25 years through the Māori Women’s Welfare League, her local church and as a Justice of the Peace.
Mrs Barrett joined the Rotorua branch of Nga Wahine Toko i Te Ora (the Māori Women’s Welfare League) in 1999 and served as the branch’s Secretary and Treasurer from 2000 to 2008. She also served time as Regional Vice President and was appointed a Life Member in 2014. She became a Ministerial Justice of the Peace in 2014 and joined the Rotorua and Districts Justice of the Peace Association Council in 2016, becoming an integral member of the organising committee for the 2017 Royal Federation National Conference. She was approved as a Judicial JP in 2017 and from 2018 to 2020 was on call one week out of four as a rostered witness for mental health patients. She has been the Rotorua and Districts Association Registrar since 2018, which involves communicating with the national body, managing membership, taking minutes and preserving the Association’s records. Mrs Barrett has been a part of the St Faith’s Anglican Church community for more than 30 years, serving as a Sideperson, a member and Secretary of the Church’s Management Committee and as a Church Warden.
The King’s Service Medal:
BELL, Mrs Debra Ann (Deb)
For services to the community
Mrs Deb Bell has supported numerous projects and causes in her community as a volunteer for more than 40 years.
Mrs Bell was founder and Regional Co-ordinator for 16 years of Rotorua Special Olympics, an International Sports Training Programme for 60 people with intellectual disabilities. She created 'Magic Moments', providing Christmas gifts to 55 families nominated by community organisations, sourcing food and gifts from local and national businesses for 15 years. She has held leadership offices with Rotary Rotorua Sunrise and within Rotary District 9930 covering 53 Central North Island clubs. As Regional Co-ordinator for the Young Enterprise Scheme 2010 to 2011, she delivered business programmes in secondary schools before her involvement in the Rotorua Youth Centre, including organising Job Speed Meets connecting employers to create youth employment opportunities. For 20 years she has supported young people transitioning from education to employment, including partnering with lnzone Experience World of Work Kiosks to fund this technology into six secondary schools and the annual Rotorua Careers Expo. She initiated the international youth mentoring programme Big Brothers, Big Sisters in Rotorua. Mrs Bell worked with local restaurant owners to create the Ronald McDonald Family Retreat Supper Club, an annual fundraiser to provide holiday accommodation for families with a terminally ill family member, which has amassed $1.7 million over 15 years.
The King’s Service Medal:
BHANA, Mr Narendra
For services to the Indian community
Mr Narendra Bhana has contributed to the Indian community for many years.
Mr Bhana has served the Auckland Indian Association for 15 years, including holding the position as President from 2018 to 2022, and the Auckland Indian Association for several years. Since 2022 he has served as the President of the New Zealand Indian Central Association (NZICA). He has been instrumental in establishing the Diaspora Group with the Indian High Commission, bringing diverse Indian communities in New Zealand to celebrate Indian Independence Day together, replacing regional celebrations. He represents Indian communities on significant issues such as immigration, justice, crime, education, community service, healthcare, youth, women’s empowerment and international matters, working to find solutions. Following a spate of retail crime in his community, he initiated meetings with the justice sector to advocate for tougher laws. He advocates unity, mutual understanding, inclusivity and collaboration with interfaith and multicultural groups. He promotes Indian langu ages and culture, is future-focused and works to ensure successive generations of Indians stay connected to their heritage. In 2023 Mr Bhana supported the NZICA Youth Conference which covered wellbeing, careers, finances and culture, involving youth in planning and executing the conference.
The King’s Service Medal:
BRON, Mr Marius Jean
For services to Search and Rescue and the community
Mr Marius Bron has served the Fox Glacier community in various volunteer emergency service roles since 1999.
On a voluntary basis Mr Bron leads the local branches of South Westland Land Search and Rescue Group, the Civil Defence service and the Community Committee. He also volunteers for the Department of Conservation, assisting in the management of alpine huts in the area. He works to ensure these huts are fit for use by both domestic and international visitors. He is also a local volunteer firefighter for Fire and Emergency New Zealand and a St John Ambulance first responder. The skills he has gained from these various roles make him a central figure in the Fox Glacier community. He and his team have received national recognition for their search and rescue efforts, including the successful rescue of two climbers on Mt Rolleston and the successful overnight rescue of an injured person on a glacier. He was involved in the creation of important facilities for the Fox Glacier community, including the Emergency Services Centre and the Community Centre. His efforts included driving the concept stage, fundraising and project managing. In addition to his volunteer work, Mr Bron is Operations Manager at Fox Glacier Guiding, which brings tourist business to the community.
The King’s Service Medal:
BROWNE, Ms Judith Marion, JP
For services to the community
Ms Judith Browne (Ngāpuhi) has served the Whanganui community in various roles since the 1980s.
Ms Browne began volunteering with the Citizens Advice Bureau in 1980s and was sworn in as a Justice of the Peace in 1994. In 1997 she was appointed as a Judicial JP, allowing her to handle cases in arrest, youth, and traffic courts. She has also acted as a nominated witness to provide mental health assistance, and, as a visiting JP to Whanganui Prison, she provides a crucial connection between the justice system and incarcerated individuals. She has been a dedicated member of the Whanganui Justice of the Peace Association’s Executive Council and twice served as its President. She was a founding Trustee for the Community Legal Advice Whanganui in 1997 and continues to serve as its Chair. As part of her dedication to creating safe and supportive environments for women and children, she has worked with Women’s Refuge, Women’s and Children’s Shelter and the Department of Corrections. Since 2022, she has been a Kaihautū in the Iwi Police-led Whanganui Family Harm Team, facilitating Safety Assessment Meetings for family harm events. In 2024, Ms Browne was recognised by the Royal Federation of Justices of the Peace for her 30 years of service.
The King’s Service Medal:
CASTLES, Mrs Julia Mary
For services to language education and migrant communities
Mrs Julia Castles has worked for more than 42 years to provide English language tuition and settlement support to refugees and migrants in South Auckland.
Mrs Castles was instrumental in helping start one of the first English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) services in New Zealand, in 1988. Starting with one-on-one home tutoring, this soon moved to include group classes. She helped coordinate and train local volunteers, and worked to raise funds for classrooms and qualified ESOL teachers. To make English learning opportunities widely available, she negotiated arrangements to offer ESOL classes in local libraries and churches, and as the region has grown she has continued to approach community venues to set up classes in new housing areas. She spends many hours outside of her paid time, helping refugees and migrants to navigate health, education and social services, securing venues for classes, and applying for funding. She has developed community outreach events, tailored language classes for specific purposes, and has implemented a Road Code course for refugees and new migrants. Mrs Castles has served as a Board member of the National Association of ESOL Home Tutor Schemes.
The King’s Service Medal:
COLEMAN, Mr John Albert
For services to the community and sport
Mr John Coleman and his wife Lily Coleman are dairy and beef farmers who have contributed 59 years of voluntary service to the Kaikohe community in various capacities.
Mr and Mrs Coleman have been key sponsors of the Kaikohe Agricultural, Pastoral and Horticultural Show, subsidising events to help keep the show running annually during periods of hardship. In 2023 they donated 10.1 acres of land encompassing native bush and Pākinga Pā back to the local hapu to maintain. Mr Coleman was a rugby referee for the Bay of Islands area from 1966 to 1985 and mentored other referees locally. He was on the committee of Bay of Islands Federated Farmers for 20 years from the 1980s and President in 1995. He was a member of the Kaikohe Community Board from 1984 to 1990, representing to the Far North District Council and the Northland District Council. He was on the committees of Kaikohe West School, Kaikohe Intermediate and Northland College over 20 years. He was involved in numerous school trips, hosted visits at their farm, and helped manage galas and fundraise for student activities and travel. Mr Coleman has been Head Coach of Kaikohe Swimming Club between 1980 and 2020 and was Chairperson until 2014, overseeing installation of solar heating, which he helped finance, and development of the clubrooms.
HONOURS
New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal
The King’s Service Medal:
COLEMAN, Mrs Lily
For services to the community and sport
Mrs Lily Coleman and her husband John Coleman are dairy and beef farmers who have contributed 59 years of voluntary service to the Kaikohe community in various capacities.
Mr and Mrs Coleman have been key sponsors of the Kaikohe Agricultural, Pastoral and Horticultural Show, subsidising events to help keep the show running annually during periods of hardship. In 2023 they donated 10.1 acres of land encompassing native bush and Pākinga Pā back to the local hapu to maintain. Mrs Coleman has been involved with the Kaikohe Rural Women’s Division from 1966 to 2023, including as President in 1969/1970. She ran a spinning and weaving group across the Bay of Islands between 1970 and 1990. She was involved with the committees of Kaikohe West School, Kaikohe Intermediate and Northland College over 20 years. She was a SPELD tutor from 1999 to 2010, teaching children with learning disabilities to read from her home. From 1970 she held various roles with Kaikohe Athletic Club until 2010 and the Harrier Club until 2000. She officiated athletics at local and regional levels and the New Zealand Colgate Games. She has fundraised for athletes to compete at all levels. Mrs Coleman was a swimming coach at Kaikohe Swimming Club from 1966 until 2020 and served as Secretary and Treasurer in the 1980s.
The King’s Service Medal:
COOPER, Mr Ross Melville
For services to rugby
Mr Ross Cooper has made significant contributions to rugby at all levels for more than 50 years.
Mr Cooper played for Wairarapa-Bush, Centurions, and the Thames Valley Rugby Union, serving as Captain, and variously as Team Manager and Selector Coach between 1984 and 2007. He won two National titles with Thames Valley in 1988 and 1990. He has been a Senior Coach for Counties Manukau, the Chiefs Super Rugby Team, and has been a selector for various New Zealand Under 17, Under 19, New Zealand Colts/Under 21s, Academy, Divisional, and Heartland teams. He was an All Blacks Selector and Assistant Coach from 1994 to 1998 and New Zealand Rugby Resource Coach from 1995 to 2004. He has been involved with the Thames Valley Rugby Union Executive Committee (now Board of Management) for 14 years, including five as Deputy Chair, and is currently President and a Life Member. He has been a key driver behind the development of women’s rugby in Thames Valley since 2021. He coached the Counties Manukau provincial team to win the second division competition in 1993, earning promotion to the first division competition. He was the Hilary Commission’s Coaching Council Chairman for three years. Mr Cooper has been the Thames Valley reporter of the Grassroots and Mainfreight Rugby television programmes for 20 years.
The King’s Service Medal:
COUSINS, Mrs Margaret Jean
For services to local government and the community
Mrs Margaret Cousins was a member of the Hutt City Council, representing the Western Ward from 1983 to 2019.
During her time on the Council, Mrs Cousins made substantial contributions through involvement with numerous committees as both member and chairperson, as well as trusts and other organisations such as the Western Community Panel, the Regional Climate Change Working Group, and the Wellington Region Natural Hazards Management Strategy. She has been a member of the Normandale Residents’ Association since 1976, successfully advocating for improvements to roading and footpaths. She has been a member of Suffrage Hutt Education (SHE) since inception in 1993, serving on the committee and as an administrator and Trustee, to support women with a scholarship for tertiary education fees. Mrs Cousins was a member of Lower Hutt Childcare Centre Trust from 1983 to 2010.
The King’s Service Medal:
DAVIES, Mrs Glenda Gaye
For services to the community
Mrs Glenda Davies has contributed to communities in the Rai Valley and Havelock for more than 20 years.
Mrs Davies has been a Trustee of the Pelorus Area Health Board Trust (PAHT) for many years and has been Chair since 2019. She has built strong relationships with other community groups to further the work of PAHT, identifying needs in the community and creating links with organisations or individuals able to provide a service or donate goods. She established a Community Lounge in PAHT premises and invites community groups to use it free of charge, including the Havelock Lions. She has planned events to improve community welfare, including assisting with the Havelock Health Expo. She works with Havelock Community Garden to utilise surplus produce, which she uses to make soup and distribute to seniors in need on a weekly basis, along with donated bread rolls. Through these visits she has also been able to identify other needs and arrange assistance from other organisations, such as repairs through Menzshed or food packages from the Havelock Foodbank. She has arranged regular visits to the PAHT Community Lounge by a podiatrist and representatives from the Alzheimer’s Society and Cancer Society to offer services. Mrs Davies was named Marlborough Volunteer of the Year in 2024 for her contributions.
The King’s Service Medal:
DAVIS, Mr Aperira Ngahau (Ngahau)
For services to the community
Mr Ngahau Davis (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Manu, Kohatutaka) and Mrs Debbie Davis (Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Kahungunu) are the driving force behind He Iwi Kotahi Tātou Trust, a grassroots organisation transforming the rural community of Moerewa in Northland.
The Trust, established in 1987, has worked on addressing challenges including housing, food security and youth engagement, and Mr and Mrs Davis had been active until recently stepping back from hands-on leadership. Initiatives introduced include Health Homes Taitokerau, a partnership with the Community Business and Environment Centre Kaitaia, which has helped provide insulation and heating solutions to more than 12,000 Northland homes since inception in 2008. They have developed food rescue programmes to reduce waste and redistribute surplus from local businesses, supermarkets and cafes to families in need. They have introduced cultural and sports programmes, blending physical activity with preservation of Māori traditions to engage young people. They expanded whānau support services to offer counselling, school programmes and drug and alcohol programmes. They have engaged in broader regional initiatives on behalf of the Trust, contributing to the non-government-organisation collective Tai Timu Tai Pari since 2021. Over the past 15 years, Mr and Mrs Davis have been involved in the establishment of a rehabilitative-focused sentencing in Kaikohe, Matariki Court.
The King’s Service Medal:
DAVIS, Mrs Deborah Grace (Debbie)
For services to the community
Mrs Debbie Davis (Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Kahungunu) and Mr Ngahau Davis (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Manu, Kohatutaka) are the driving force behind He Iwi Kotahi Tātou Trust, a grassroots organisation transforming the rural community of Moerewa in Northland.
The Trust, established in 1987, has worked on addressing challenges including housing, food security and youth engagement, and Mr and Mrs Davis had been active until recently stepping back from hands-on leadership. Initiatives introduced include Health Homes Taitokerau, a partnership with the Community Business and Environment Centre Kaitaia, which has helped provide insulation and heating solutions to more than 12,000 Northland homes since inception in 2008. They have developed food rescue programmes to reduce waste and redistribute surplus from local businesses, supermarkets and cafes to families in need. They have introduced cultural and sports programmes, blending physical activity with preservation of Māori traditions to engage young people. They expanded whānau support services to offer counselling, school programmes and drug and alcohol programmes. They have engaged in broader regional initiatives on behalf of the Trust, contributing to the non-government-organisation collective Tai Timu Tai Pari since 2021. Over the past 15 years, Mr and Mrs Davis have been involved in the establishment of a rehabilitative-focused sentencing in Kaikohe, Matariki Court.
The King’s Service Medal:
DENNIS, Mr Gavin Lloyd, JP
For services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the community
Mr Gavin Dennis has served the Matatā community for close to 40 years.
Mr Dennis is currently Chief Fire Officer of the Matatā Volunteer Fire Brigade, having held various ranks since joining in 1987. While Deputy Chief Fire Officer, he played a key role in the response to major flood events in 2005, with the town cut off for several days. He instigated the Matatā Volunteer Fire Brigade’s Cadet Programme in 2014, for young people aged 15 to 16 to join the brigade to gain experience and life skills. The programme has been successful in recruiting these young people as volunteer recruit firefighters when eligible, forming a large part of the brigade’s membership over the past 10 years. He was a member of the Rangitaiki Community Board from 2007 to 2019, serving four years as Deputy Chairperson, and helped oversee the town’s recovery efforts following the 2017 Edgecumbe flood event. He has served on the Boards of Trustees of Matatā Public School and Trident High School, including holding several offices across the period 1993 to 2010. He has chaired the Matatā Residents Association and the Matatā Community Resource Centre. Mr Dennis was elected to the Whakatāne District Council in 2019.
The King’s Service Medal:
EELES, Mr Edwin John (Eddie), JP
For services to pipe bands
Mr Eddie Eeles has a had an award-winning career in the pipe band community since 1953, holding leadership and mentorship roles nationally.
Mr Eeles has held playing member, Drum Major and President roles in the Auckland and District Pipe Band. He led the band to eight wins at the New Zealand Championships between 1969 and 2000. He became the current President of the Auckland Police Pipe Band in 2021. He has led these bands on numerous overseas tours for Military Tattoos and World Championships. In 2005 he won the prestigious National Drum Majors’ Championship. In March 2024, he became a Life Member of both bands. He has been a member of national judging panels, review committees and held many leadership, appointment and selection panel positions in the Auckland pipe band community, as well as nationally. He is currently a director of the Pipe Band Foundation of New Zealand. He has been instrumental in mentoring younger individuals nationally, ensuring the pipe band movement's traditions are passed on with integrity and passion. Mr Eeles has served in a governance role on the Auckland Centre of the Royal New Zealand Pipe Bands’ Association and as a delegate to the National Association, providing input into policies and strategy for the betterment of the national pipe band community.
The King’s Service Medal:
ENDERBY, Mr Anthony William Norman (Tony)
For services to conservation
Mr Tony Enderby and his wife Mrs Jenny Enderby have volunteered for New Zealand’s oldest marine reserve, the Cape Rodney to Okakari Point (CROP) Marine Reserve.
Mr and Mrs Enderby volunteered for the Department of Conservation from the early 1990s until 2023, notably as two of only four Honorary Warranted Officers based in Auckland for many years. They began as visitor guides for Tiritiri Matangi Island, going on to volunteer as Maui Dolphin observers, visitor supervisors for Hauturu/Little Barrier Island for more than 10 years, and undertook diving surveys off Aotea/Great Barrier Island. As Honorary Warranted Officers, they were active in intervening and preventing offences such as poaching at all hours at the CROP Marine Reserve. They established the Leigh Penguin Project in 2018, setting up a group of volunteers, trapping networks and erecting penguin boxes along a stretch of coastal habitat from Ti Point to Goat Island. They have volunteered more broadly with the Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary Society for more than 10 years, Forest and Bird Coast Care, Leigh Library, Whangateau Harbour Care, and the Leigh Business Group among others. Mr and Mrs Enderby have written and illustrated numerous articles and books on marine life and marine reserves for local and international audiences, including the book ‘A Guide to New Zealand Marine Reserves’.
The King’s Service Medal:
ENDERBY, Mrs Jennifer Fay (Jenny)
For services to conservation
Mrs Jenny Enderby and her husband Mr Tony Enderby have volunteered for New Zealand’s oldest marine reserve, the Cape Rodney to Okakari Point (CROP) Marine Reserve.
Mr and Mrs Enderby volunteered for the Department of Conservation from the early 1990s until 2023, notably as two of only four Honorary Warranted Officers based in Auckland for many years. They began as visitor guides for Tiritiri Matangi Island, going on to volunteer as Maui Dolphin observers, visitor supervisors for Hauturu/Little Barrier Island for more than 10 years, and undertook diving surveys off Aotea/Great Barrier Island. As Honorary Warranted Officers, they were active in intervening and preventing offences such as poaching at all hours at the CROP Marine Reserve. They established the Leigh Penguin Project in 2018, setting up a group of volunteers, trapping networks and erecting penguin boxes along a stretch of coastal habitat from Ti Point to Goat Island. They have volunteered more broadly with the Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary Society for more than 10 years, Forest and Bird Coast Care, Leigh Library, Whangateau Harbour Care, and the Leigh Business Group among others. Mr and Mrs Enderby have written and illustrated numerous articles and books on marine life and marine reserves for local and international audiences, including the book ‘A Guide to New Zealand Marine Reserves’.
The King’s Service Medal:
FEILO-MAKAPA, Ms Zora Estelle (Zora Feilo)
For services to the Niue community and the arts
Ms Zora Feilo was a founding member of the Tupumaiaga a Niue Trust in 2007, which provides heritage and contemporary arts programmes through interactive workshops and cultural Niue activities to the community.
Ms Feilo has been the Funding Coordinator since 2007, ensuring funding is secured to execute the Trust’s vision to increase access through community workshops for the Auckland community, but also the Niue community who live nationally and abroad. She was named the winner of the Spasifik Magazine writing competition in 2006 with her short story 'Fisi and Pua and Katuali the Seasnake', and published her first book 'The Tales of Niue Nukututaha', a bilingual book of 12 fictional tales in 2015. She published the second edition of her book ‘Tales of Niue Nukututaha Revisited’, which was launched in Auckland and at the Niue Arts Festival in 2025. In 2008, she curated an exhibition at ArtStation in Auckland 'PULE FAKAMOTU', which featured several different Niuean creatives using film, weaving, printmaking and painting as their mediums. She founded Fisipua Niue in 2008, a group that hosts speakers evenings with inspiring Niuean professionals. The Trust won the Creative New Zealand 2021 Heritage Arts Award. She received the 2022 Artist in Residence Award with Pacific Dance. Ms Feilo has been the local programme co-ordinator at Sandringham Community Centre since 2014.
The King’s Service Medal:
FROST, Mrs Penelope-Jane (Pene)
For services to children and social work
Mrs Pene Frost has been Auckland Regional Manager for the Stand Children’s Services – Tū Maia Whānau (Stand Tū Maia) since 2002, having been involved with Stand Children’s Services (formerly King George V Memorial Health Camp, Pakuranga) in various roles since 1978.
Mrs Frost has mentored many new Māori, Pacific and overseas social work students from Sweden and Germany into the social work profession. She has practiced in roles including residential social work, family social work and as a parent educator, trainer and manager, with her team having worked with more than 8,000 vulnerable children in Auckland over 20 years. She has maintained a relationship with Panmure Medical Centre to support the health needs of tamariki. She is a member of the East Health Trust PHO, the Otahuhu Oranga Tamariki Care and Protection Panel, and the Social Work Stakeholders’ Advisory Group at Manukau Institute of Technology. She has been a guest speaker for various community service groups, sharing the work of Stand Tū Maia outside of her usual work hours. She has been recognised with service awards from Rotary and Zonta for her contributions. Mrs Frost has been involved with Pakuranga Masonic Lodge.
The King’s Service Medal:
GILBERTSON, Ms Christine Ada (Tina)
For services to midwifery
Ms Tina Gilbertson has contributed to the midwifery profession as a leader and educator for more than 30 years.
Ms Gilbertson registered as a midwife in the 1980s and for 28 years provided community and hospital-based care to pregnant women and babies throughout the Otago region. She began her nursing career in 1979 in the Dunedin Public Hospital and subsequently held a number of midwifery roles in the Otago District Health Board including Acting Service Leader, Maternity Service Manager and Midwifery Director between 2003 and 2006, during which she developed a midwifery “Professional Development and Recognition Programme”, which was subsequently adopted throughout New Zealand health institutions. She has served as a lecturer at both the Dunedin School of Medicine and the Otago Polytechnic. She has held a number of senior roles in the Southern District Health Board since 2007, including Knowledge Centre Manager, Acting and Deputy Chief Nursing and Midwife Officer, and Director of Quality. Ms Gilbertson was the Nursing Director of the Central Otago Health Services, Dunstan Hospital in Clyde from 2022, shifting into a Quality and Patient Safety role in 2025 while mentoring her successor.
The King’s Service Medal:
GREEN, Mr Kaiaho Kereama (Butch)
For services to music
Mr Butch Green (Ngāti Porou) has been an influential musician and swing band leader in Christchurch for more than 30 years.
Mr Green is a renowned trumpet player and the musical director of Sideline Swing, a popular Christchurch big band he started in 1994. He has been a key figure in every aspect of running the multigenerational band, volunteering his time to arrange music, mentor musicians, and organise performances. His continued direction and leadership have been essential to the band’s survival and success, as well as instrumental in developing the swing scene in Christchurch. He is a passionate advocate for younger players, providing them with opportunities to showcase their talent and encouraging them to pursue music to a high level. He was a founding member of the Christchurch Big Band Festival, helping to organise the annual event. He has long supported the local swing dancing scene, with Sideline Swing playing countless gigs for Swingtown Rebels dance company. He often volunteers his time bugling on Anzac Day and helps to facilitate community events. Mr Green previously played in the New Zealand Army Band, and wrote many musical arrangements that they still use today.
The King’s Service Medal:
GRIFFIN, Mrs Heidi Elizabeth
For services to the arts and the community
Mrs Heidi Griffin supports the arts and various community causes in Taranaki.
Since 2019, Mrs Griffin set up and has almost single-handedly run the Gover Street Gallery, a non-profit community art gallery that hosts events from poetry nights to book launches, workshops and fundraising auctions. Gover Street Gallery is considered a cornerstone of the arts in Taranaki, with a welcoming and inclusive environment supporting and promoting more than 500 local artists nationwide. Through the gallery she has raised money for overseas and local causes, from extreme weather event recovery to cancer research, animal protection and those in need. She chaired the Taranaki Arts Trail from 2018 to 2023, steering it through a difficult period and preventing it from folding, with a record number of 115 artists participating in 2023. She was volunteer caterer for the Te Kupenga Stone Sculpture Symposium from 2020 to 2022. Mrs Griffin has volunteered with three New Plymouth schools and chaired Parent Teacher Associations between 2001 and 2015, as well as volunteering her own artistic talents to school productions and mural painting during that time until the present.
The King’s Service Medal:
HAMBLETT, Ms Allyson Teresa
For services to people with disabilities and the transgender community
Ms Allyson Hamblett has been involved with CCS Disability Action for more than 20 years across several roles.
Ms Hamblett is a Life Member of the Auckland branch of CCS, having served on the Local Advisory Committee from 2010 and as Chair since 2011. She was a governance committee member with PHAB from 1983 to 2013, an organisation bringing together physically disabled people with non-disabled young people. Through the Auckland Pride Centre she established a transgender support group that ran from 1995 to 2005, a forerunner to Genderbridge established in 2000. She has campaigned for gender recognition in New Zealand legislation, particularly in the Human Rights Act and Citizenship Act and has written the books ‘A Life Lived Twice’ (2017) and ‘Love God Love Your Neighbour and its OK to be Trans’ (2019). She has been involved with Māpura Studio since 2002, which provides creative programmes to marginalised and diverse peoples, as one of their original artists. Ms Hamblett has exhibited with the studio, supported other artists, undertaken paid administrative work to manage website and social media content, and is now Disability Advisor for Māpura Studios.
The King’s Service Medal:
HAY, The Venerable Sohim
For services to the Cambodian community
The Senior Venerable Sohim Hay supports the spiritual and social wellbeing of Auckland’s Cambodian community.
Abbot Hay arrived in New Zealand in 2009 to take up a role of Senior Monk in the Wat Khemaraphirataram temple in Randwick Park. Since 2019 he has served as its Abbot, and continues to offer blessings and solace in homes or hospitals and provides counsel to individuals seeking his wisdom. He has led campaigns to fundraise more than $2 million to construct several new buildings in the temple complex, including a sacred Vihera and stupa, the construction and decoration of which he has also spearheaded. He has provided his guidance and advice to temples in Wellington and Palmerston North. As well as a spiritual leader, he has helped to keep Cambodian culture alive in Auckland. He has created a place of safety for Cambodian New Zealanders for informal gatherings, to socialise, to play sports and learn about their heritage. He has personally passed on his skills as a sculptor, aided in a Cambodian Kickboxing school and set up Khmer language classes. Abbot Hay is currently supporting the development of a multifunctional dining hall in the Wat Khemaraphirataram temple complex.
The King’s Service Medal:
HEPI, Mrs Katerina Hauhaua (Bina)
For services to Māori language education
Mrs Bina Hepi (Ngāti Hine) has been committed to the revitalisation of te reo Maori and tikanga through the Kōhanga Reo movement for more than 37 years and has been District Manager of Tai Tokerau for the Kōhanga Reo National Trust since 1996, overseeing 10 Kōhanga Reo clusters.
Mrs Hepi is well regarded for sharing her knowledge freely on all things related to the Kōhanga Reo kaupapa. She has taught the Te Tohu Matauranga Whakapakari Tino Rangatiratanga early learning qualification for Kōhanga Reo. She has encouraged waiata gatherings for Kohanga whānau and has written simple books and waiata for tamariki. Mrs Hepi has been involved with organising celebrations in the region for kaumatua and kuia, regional anniversaries and graduations of students from their courses.
The King’s Service Medal:
HICKEY, Mrs Nicola Linda (Nicky Rawlings)
For services to Victim Support
Ms Nicky Rawlings became a volunteer support worker with Victim Support in 1989 and has since further developed her crisis worker skills to support various groups.
Ms Rawlings undertook crisis worker training in conjunction with the New Zealand Police in 1994, going on to become a team leader for several years. She joined the Napier Victim Support Local Group Committee in 2012, holding various positions including Chairperson from 2014 to 2018. She orchestrated the merging of the Napier, Hastings and Central Hawke’s Bay committees to become Victim Support Hawke’s Bay, of which she remains current Chairperson. She has contributed significant amounts of her own time to support victims of crime in Napier over the years, making herself available 24/7. She was appointed to the Board of the New Zealand Council for Victim Support in 2016. Professionally, she supports Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers as the National RSE Manager for Turners and Growers, liaising with government departments including on policy matters. Ms Rawlings applied her Victim Support skillset to support RSE workers in need following the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023.
The King’s Service Medal:
HOANI, Mrs Luen Nanette
For services to Māori language education
Mrs Luen Hoani manages the Te Kohanga Reo o Ngā Tikanga Pono on Auckland’s North Shore, where she has supported kaiako teaching te reo Māori for more than 35 years.
Mrs Hoani was a driving force in establishing this kohanga reo on the grounds of Northcote College, rallying parents and the local community to contribute their skills at working bees and fundraising events. Her mahi in establishing Ngā Tikanga Pono was unpaid for more than a decade. She has held many roles with Ngā Tikanga Pono, including Chairperson and Secretary, training many staff and strongly advocating for the promotion and use of te reo Māori with whānau, with more than 1,500 tamariki attending over the years. She has chaired Te Puna Hauora o Te Raki Paewhenua Board of Trustees since 2008, which provides wraparound services of primary healthcare, social services, whānau ora and iwi support, particularly for those with high and complex needs. She has been a Director of Te Puna Whānau Ora Network Alliance since 2022. She was involved with North Shore Māori Women’s Welfare League for many years until its cessation. Mrs Hoani has contributed to the Northcote Tigers Rugby League and Sports Club for more than 20 years, variously as club caterer and assistant manager and statistician of the Premier Reserve Grade Team.
The King’s Service Medal:
KAUR, Mrs Parminder, JP
For services to multicultural communities
Mrs Parminder Kaur has led a number of initiatives and programmes to encourage and develop social cohesion within Christchurch’s multicultural communities.
Mrs Kaur started volunteering in Christchurch following the 2011 earthquakes. In 2017 she helped establish and was elected Chairperson of the IndianNZ Association of Christchurch Inc. after identifying a need for a lead organisation to support Canterbury’s Indian communities. As Chair, she is the lead organiser for several multicultural educational events and activities, including the Christchurch Multicultural Festival – Celebration of Cultures, an annual event which provides the opportunity to showcase talent from more than 30 diverse communities in the Canterbury region. She is the current Chair of the Women’s Helping Hand Trust, which she established in 2020 to provide food and support to women and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a key representative for the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, she worked collaboratively with several government agencies to organise educational sessions for the community about COVID-19 and vaccination. She currently organises free weekly wellbeing and development classes for women, along with special women-focused events in both Selwyn and Christchurch. Mrs Kaur has been a Justice of the Peace and marriage celebrant since 2018 and was appointed a White Ribbon Ambassador in 2022.
The King’s Service Medal:
LOE, Mr Kevin Francis, JP
For services to the community and agriculture
Mr Kevin Loe has contributed to his local community of Flaxbourne since the 1970s.
Mr Loe has been at the forefront of the community as a member of many local organisations, including the Flaxbourne Settlers Association and the Flaxbourne Agricultural and Pastoral Association. He was instrumental in setting up the impactful Taimate Water Scheme in the 1970s, bringing reticulated water supply to nearly 2,000 hectares of land. Since joining the Seddon Lions Club in 1990, he has held several leadership roles including President and Projects Chair and been instrumental in several large community fundraisers. He has served as Director of the Hilary Crump Trust for more than 20 years. As Chair of the Flaxbourne Heritage Trust, he has helped to gain crucial funding and lead the $3 million rebuild of the Ward Museum which was significantly damaged in the Kaikōura earthquake. He chaired the Flaxbourne Settlers Association for the centenary celebration in 2005. He has spearheaded bringing an irrigated supply to the drought-prone district through the Flaxbourne Irrigation Scheme since 2004. He was President of the Flaxbourne A and P Association in 1987 and 1988 became a Life Member in 2023. Mr Loe continues to support tourism opportunities in the area, including the Whale Trail bike trail between Picton and Kaikōura.
The King’s Service Medal:
MARSHALL, Mr Timothy Peter (Tim)
For services to the community and waka ama
Mr Tim Marshall has supported the wellbeing and safety of communities in Tairāwhiti/East Coast for more than 30 years.
Mr Marshall worked with the Department of Corrections and Ministry of Social Development for two decades before shifting to the community sector. He co-founded the Tairawhiti Men Against Violence group in 2006, which was a men’s response to eliminate violence towards their partners and families. In 2010, he was a key instigator in the opening of Tauawhi Men’s Centre, a resource centre for men to access counselling, non-violence programmes and social support. He led and supported more than 20 national ‘Call to Men’ hui to address family violence, supported the establishment of emergency accommodation for men with unsafe behaviour, advocated for Te Hokai Male Survivors Tairawhiti, chairs the SafeMan SafeFamily organisation and is a White Ribbon Ambassador. He has volunteered as Loading Bay lead at the week-long Waka Ama Sprint nationals each year since 2011. As Deputy Chair of the Waka Ama New Zealand Board, he helped put in place robust governance arrangements as it transitioned from a volunteer organisation. He has been on the committee at the local Harrier Club and Gisborne Volunteer Association. Mr Marshall is a current member of the Advisory Group for ‘Mates of Tairāwhiti’ and a Trustee of the Matapuna Training Centre.
The King’s Service Medal:
MATTINSON, Ms Audrey Myra
For services to Scottish Country Dancing and the community
Ms Audrey Mattinson has contributed to the Rangiora community through several organisations for more than 30 years.
Ms Mattinson has tutored for three Scottish Country Dance Clubs in the Canterbury region over more than 30 years – the Rangiora Scottish Country Dance Club, the Burnside Scottish Country Dance Club and the Oxford Scottish Country Dance Club. Through these clubs, she has also been involved in fundraising for local charities, such as Riding for the Disabled, St John, and Oxford Land Search and Rescue. She has organised demonstrations of Scottish Country Dancing including at events such as Oxford Farmers’ Market, Waitangi Day events at Kaiapoi, the Festival of Colour in Rangiora, and at retirement homes. She is a Life Member of the Rangiora Scottish Country Dance Club and a member of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society New Zealand branch for more than 50 years. She was a volunteer driver for Red Cross Meals on Wheels on a weekly basis from 1988 to 2023, donating her petrol funds back to the Red Cross. She volunteered with Rangiora Library for 33 years, stacking shelves on a weekly basis until recently. Ms Mattinson received a Waimakariri District Council Community Services Award in 2014 for her contributions.
The King’s Service Medal:
MCCRACKEN, Mrs Annie Elizabeth (Anne)
For services to the community
Mrs Anne McCracken has had a varied involvement with community organisations, outdoor recreation and local government in Southland.
Mrs McCracken and her husband have farmed in Western Southland for many years, where she has supported community projects including the Southern Scenic Route, the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track, McCrackens Rest, the Southland Locator Beacon Charitable Trust, and Tuatapere Promotions. She was a Waiau Health Trust Director from 2000 to 2012, campaigning for improved rural health support for the Tuatapere area. She has been on the Executive committee of Southland Medical Foundation for more than 20 years. She is a Life Member of the Borland Lodge Adventure and Education Trust and has been Secretary and Vice President over 30 years. She has been President of the Southland Women’s Club, chaired the Policy and Planning Committee, and became a Life Member after 21 years’ involvement. She was elected to the Southland District Council from 2001 for two terms and served on the Southland Conservation Board. She was President of the Southland Art Society in 2009. She has coordinated the Dictionaries in Schools project for Invercargill North Rotary Club and has volunteered for the Invercargill Citizen’s Advice Bureau. Mrs McCracken is a programme maker for Radio Southland and has interviewed people for a Southland Oral History project.
The King’s Service Medal:
MCMILLAN, Reverend Rosemary (Rosie)
For services to the community
Reverend Rosie McMillan has served as the Anglican Vicar of Woodville since 1998.
Reverend McMillan has had a connection with the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Woodville since she was christened and confirmed there. She went on to serve on the Vestry and completed her education for ministry in the 1990s. In 1998 she was ordained as a community priest, since which time she has volunteered as the Vicar of Holy Trinity. In the role she takes funerals, cremation services, baptisms and weddings of members of the Parish and wider community. She encourages members of the Parish to take active roles in the weekly services. She has also reached out into the wider community in and around Woodville, providing leadership and drive for community initiatives. She makes home visits and provides meals for the elderly, sick and bereaved, and has fundraised to support the combined churches food bank. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, she co-organised the Parish’s meal service and contributed to the local marae’s community outreach activities. She assists with community initiatives including the annual Horticulture Show, mid-winter dinner and regular newsletters and previously taught Bible classes at the local school. Reverend McMillan has served as the Padre of the Woodville Returned and Services’ Association since 2019 and is involved in the town’s Anzac Day services.
The King’s Service Medal:
MELLISH, Mr Clem Burnard
For services to Māori art and music
Mr Clem Mellish (Ngāpuhi) has worked as an expert stone carver since the 1980s, specialising in the creation of taonga pūoro, Māori traditional instruments.
Mr Mellish was one of the founding members of the group Haumanu in 1994, which included Brian Flintoff, Hirini Melbourne and Richard Nunns, who worked on reviving Māori culture, particularly music through taonga pūoro and waiata. He worked with the group to research and share oral histories to rediscover once-lost treasures and bring them to the fore again, and to host a series of wānanga at Onetahua Marae in Golden Bay introducing people to these instruments. He has created carved instruments from pounamu and argillite and is credited with inspiring other jade carvers in New Zealand. His instruments follow or relate to Māori tradition, particular wind instruments, and he continues to innovate to create new designs, most recently creating a flute combining the playing methods of a nose-flute and traditional flute. His works are exhibited in various establishments nationally and internationally, including a nephrite pendant on display at the British Museum, London, and his karanga weka, a small stone nguru-like instrument, at Te Papa Tongarewa. His works are included in Brian Flintoff’s book ‘Taonga Pūoro’ as masterly examples of traditional Māori instruments. Mr Mellish was awarded the Marlborough Living Cultural Treasure Award in 2016.
The King’s Service Medal:
MILLIGAN, Mr Graham Frederick Charles (Fred), MStJ
For services to the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association
Mr Fred Milligan has been involved with the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association since the mid-1970s.
Mr Milligan joined the Featherston RSA in 1975 and was subsequently elected to a number of executive roles including Secretary and then President in 1985. He joined the Tauranga RSA in 1988. He served on the Executive Committee from 2009 when the RSA relocated and was responsible for the design and construction of a new memorial cenotaph. Serving as Vice-President, he became President from 2019 to 2023. He provided significant leadership during that period which saw the sale of the RSA premises and the securing of a future location. He instigated a strong fiscal management of the club which saw it arrange alternative income streams and allow it to continue to serve the veteran community in Tauranga. He was awarded Life Membership of the Tauranga RSA in 2024. He was an active member of the Featherston Branch of St John from the mid-1970s and held appointments as Secretary and President, during which he led the building of new premises in Featherston. Mr Milligan was an active member of Lions International for thirty years, contributing to many community improvement activities.
HONOURS AND AWARDS
Member of the Order of St John, 1984
The King’s Service Medal:
MORE, Mr Fergus Charles Denis
For services to the community and the law
Mr Fergus More has contributed legal services to the community and contributed to a range of community organisations.
Mr More has been a lawyer in Invercargill for more than 44 years, working as a Partner of Scholefield Law and with many not-for-profits in the community. Most of his work is advocating for the children and youth of Southland, some pro bono. He is recognised as one of the leading youth court and counsel for children advocates within Southland. He is the longest-running Youth Court Advocate in New Zealand and longest running Lawyer for Child in Southland. He has been the Lawyer for Child in Care of Children Act and Oranga Tamariki proceedings since 1985. He has volunteered his legal skills to many organisations across Southland, including being President of the Southland District Law Society, Convenor, Deputy Convenor and Member of the Southland Standards Committee, Lawyer and Board member for Hawthorndale Care Village Board, Chairman of the Calvary Rest Home, Lawyer for the Verdon College Board of Trustees. Additionally, Mr More has served on several other organisations such as Southland Rugby Disciplinary Committee, CCS Disability, Terry Boyle Scholarship Fund, St Mary’s Basilica Parish Council, Invercargill Musical Theatre Society and the Rotary Club of Invercargill Sunrise.
The King’s Service Medal:
NATHAN, Mr Graham Douglas (Kereama)
For services to Māori
Mr Kereama Nathan (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Maniapoto) is a kaumatua serving the Hibiscus Coast community.
Mr Douglas moved to Whangaparāoa 40 years ago and since then has been promoting te ao Māori to the local community, strengthening its spiritual and cultural fabric and empowering a generation of leaders. He was instrumental in the relocation of Te Hengera Waka o Orewa Marae in 2009, where he has since served as Chairman and kaiwhakahaere. He has helped to establish services including te reo Māori classes, courses in horticulture, weaving, carpentry and a rongoa Māori clinic on the marae. He has helped to expand the wider community’s engagement with the marae through offering courses workshops, organising Kotahitanga Days and serving as the kaumatua to dozens of local early childcare centres, schools and kura. He has also been instrumental in providing services such as Women’s Refuge, Community Corrections, counselling and cultural events. For the past several years he has organised Matariki celebrations at Orewa Beach. Mr Nathan has was appointed Chair of Te Ataarangi ki Tamaki in 2023.
The King’s Service Medal:
O'REGAN, Mr Terence John (Terry)
For services to nursing and the community
Mr Terry O’Regan has served the medical profession for more than 50 years, particularly on the West Coast.
Mr O’Regan trained in psychiatric and general nursing, practicing initially in Christchurch from the 1960s before transferring to Greymouth to complete the general nursing programme and working in all areas of Greymouth Hospital. He was appointed District Nurse in Haast in the early 1980s, utilising his broad experience in psychiatric, emergency and general nursing. He was Rural Nurse for Moana and surrounding districts. Recognising the need for rural nurses to have time away for study and holidays, he became the relief Rural Health Nurse for the entire West Coast for more than 20 years, travelling the distances in his campervan covering travel and accommodation. His rural nursing experience and skill in palliative care and support has allowed rural people to stay in their homes and communities when unwell. He is currently a member of the Moana community and involved with fundraising at the annual market day and a member of the Moana St John's church restoration group. Mr O'Regan was a member of the Grey District Council for the Eastern Ward for a term.
The King’s Service Medal:
PERRIN, Mrs Alison Isabel, JP
For services to the community and music
Mrs Alison Perrin has contributed significantly to the Rotorua community since 1980.
Mrs Perrin has dedicated her time to several community groups, most notably the Rotorua Citizens’ Advice Bureau (CAB) where she has volunteered for more than 40 years and was the paid Coordinator between 1991 and 2002. She volunteers weekly, mentoring other CAB volunteers and assisting others with a range of issues. She worked as a Grants Assessor for the Rotorua Trust for 16 years, in particular assisting community groups with funding and philanthropy. She has been involved with the Community Organisation Grant Scheme, Geyser Community Foundation, Civic Arts Trust, and Creative New Zealand. As a qualified piano teacher, she is involved locally with the Institute of Registered Music Teachers’ Association and has been the Convenor of Trinity College Music Exams in Rotorua for over 30 years. She has been pivotal as Trustee of the New Zealand Aria Trust, securing funding and organising the continuation of the country’s oldest aria competition. She has been an active Justice of the Peace since 1997. She assists with a wide range of community activities and organisations, including Big Brothers, Big Sisters and Rotorua Hospice. In 2011 Mrs Perrin received an Outstanding Women’s Achievement Award from Rotorua Zonta Club for her ongoing community work.
The King’s Service Medal:
PULLOOTHPADATH, Mr Narayanan Kutty
For services to ethnic communities
Mr Narayanan Kutty Pulloothpadath has advocated for ethnic communities in Taranaki for 25 years.
Mr Pulloothpadath settled in New Plymouth in 1998 and has been an active member of the Taranaki Multiethnic Council since 2000. He served as its President between 2006 and 2008, for which he received a certificate of appreciation from New Zealand Federation of Ethnic Councils. He has been its Funding Coordinator for the past ten years and took a lead role in establishing the Taranaki Multiethnic Extravaganza, an annual event celebrating the diversity of the Taranaki community. As President of the New Plymouth Indian Community between 2016 and 2018, he registered the group under the Incorporated Societies Act and played a pivotal role in establishing Diwali as an annual celebration in New Plymouth. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the group in 2021. Since 2023, Mr Pulloothpadath has been a Trustee of the Sisonke Taranaki African Community Trust, providing guidance and support in setting the organisation’s direction.
The King’s Service Medal:
RANGI, Mrs Berry Jane
For services to the community, particularly Pacific peoples
Mrs Berry Rangi co-founded Tiare Ahuriri in 2008, the Napier branch of the national Pacific women’s organisation PACIFICA Inc., and in that role headed a number of initiatives to support Pacific women and communities.
In 2019 Mrs Rangi was awarded a PACIFICA Inc. Service Medal for her contributions to the organisation. She was the Pacific Breast and Cervical Screening Health Promoter for Health New Zealand in the Hawke’s Bay region from 2007 to 2016, and was instrumental in lifting the coverages rates of breast and cervical screening for Hawke’s Bay Pacific women. She is the Secretary of the Cook Islands Ekalesia of the St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Hastings, Secretary to the Tamatea Women’s Institute, and a member of the Aged Advisory Group for Napier City Council. She has been a Meals on Wheels volunteer with the Red Cross in Napier since 1990 and has been recognised for her 34 years of service in this role. Mrs Rangi also contributes to maintaining the heritage craft of tivaevae (quilting) by delivering workshops to people of all ages and communities across Hawke’s Bay.
The King’s Service Medal:
RICHARDS, Mrs Karen Elizabeth
For services to textiles history and conservation
Mrs Karen Richards is an authority on historical textiles and their preservation in Nelson.
Mrs Richards taught Home Economics for 32 years in Christchurch, Nelson and Richmond, where she still teaches a Community Education class. In 2008, whilst teaching at Waimea College, she was awarded a Royal Society Teaching Fellowship in ‘The Preservation, Conservation, and Display of Textiles in a Museum Setting’. This allowed her to work at the Nelson Provincial Museum Research and Collection Facility, and to observe museum and conversation practices overseas. As a result of this she developed a deeper interest in, and understanding of, historic textiles, and the importance of the preservation of them. She has been a volunteer at the Nelson Provincial Museum for 18 years where she supports the documentation, preservation and display of unique items. She has also been a volunteer Textile Technician at Broadgreen Historic House for eight years, where she has catalogued more than 1,100 textile items, and has been at the forefront of remedial textile conservation. She is a recognised authority on dating and identifying garments. Mrs Richards co-curated six exhibitions and has given exhibition tours and lectures at events including Nelson’s TUKU Heritage festival and at the Costume and Textiles Symposium in Ōamaru in 2023.
The King’s Service Medal:
SIAOSI, Papali’i Seiuli Johnny
For services to health and the Pacific community
Papali’i Seiuli Johnny Siaosi is a respected leader in Pacific communities and has played a major leadership role in spearheading Pasifika governance within the mental health and addiction sector.
Mr Siaosi has built on his own experiences as a survivor of abuse to advocate and support both survivors and others who experience mental health issues and addictions. He is a Pacific Matua and Consumer Advisor for Takanga A Fohe Pacific Mental Health and Addictions Services with Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand. He is Matua/co-founder of ‘Three Village 1 island’ - National Network Pasefika, being appointed Chair in 2021. He is the Mana Pasefika - National Co-Chair of Disability, Addictions and Mental Health, and was the former Board Chair for the Council for Mental Wellbeing Trust (now known as Changing Minds), an NGO in the mental health sector aiming to transform the sector by putting people’s wants and needs first and supporting innovative and alternative responses. Mr Siaosi was the Advisor to Pacific Advisory Group for the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Institutions.
The King’s Service Medal:
SLOMAN, Ms Rosemary Jan, JP
For services to the community
Ms Rosemary Sloman has volunteered in the Eastern Bay of Plenty community for more than 40 years.
Ms Sloman has volunteered with the American Field Service (AFS) since 1984. She chaired the Kawerau South School Board during a time of growth and change. She was a key driver of the Kawerau Rotary Youth Trust, providing unique experiences for local youth. She began volunteering with Hospice Eastern Bay of Plenty (EBOP) in 1998 and, as a supermarket store manager in Whakatāne, has assisted during many profile-raising campaigns. In 2017 she became the Volunteer Co-ordinator and Fundraiser for Hospice EBOP, developing successful events including Sunshine and a Plate, Frocks on Bikes, Fashion and High Tea Events, Garden and Art Rambles and The Blokes Shed Tour. Since 2009, she has volunteered with Look Good Feel Better, empowering women navigating their cancer journey. She has been active with the Celebrants’ Association of Aotearoa-New Zealand since 2020. She recently resigned as a Trustee of Virtual Eastern Bay Villages and continues to personally support and advocate for seniors with dementia. She is the Ministerial Educator for Eastern Bay Region Justices of the Peace, and a member of the Mataatua COGS Area Grants Committee. Ms Sloman retired in 2024 after seven years as the inaugural Executive Officer of the Eastern Bay Community Foundation.
The King’s Service Medal:
SMALLFIELD, Mrs Roberta Jane (Jane), JP
For services to historical research and the community
Mrs Jane Smallfield has been associated with Otago Girls High School (OGHS) and has contributed to the preservation of the historical record of the school and other community organisations.
Mrs Smallfield, as librarian and archivist at OGHS from 2003 to 2021, undertook the preservation and digitisation of the school’s photographic and historical record, enabling the school’s extensive 150-year history to be accessible to the school community for future generations. She undertook significant roles in the organising committees celebrating the OGHS 125th and 150th Jubilee commemorations, authoring ‘As the Swift Seasons Roll – A Pictorial History of Otago Girls High School’ to commemorate the 150th Jubilee, and was the Co-founder, Secretary and Newsletter Editor of the OGHS Alumni Association. She was a member of the Maori Hill School Centennial Committee between 2004 and 2007, and co-authored ‘Above the belt: a history of the Suburb of Maori Hill’ to celebrate the centenary. She has been an active member of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists, serving as Treasurer from 1996 to 1998. Mrs Smallfield has provided significant service, in the role of Treasurer or Secretary to a range of local community and national organisations including the John McGlashan Pipe Band, the School Library Association New Zealand, the Royal Federation of New Zealand Justices’ Associations, and the Otago Croquet Association.
The King’s Service Medal:
TROON, Mr Alan Rex (Curly)
For services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Mr Alan “Curly” Troon is a Life Member of the Taihape Volunteer Fire Brigade and has helped to promote Taihape through gumboot throwing.
Mr Troon joined the Taihape Volunteer Fire Brigade in 1991 and has been Chief Fire Officer since 2009, being awarded Life Membership in 2022. He oversaw the rebuild of the new Taihape Fire Station which opened in 2022. He has worked for Rangitikei County Council and has held many volunteer roles within the community, including past President of the Taihape Tennis Association and Taihape Kindergarten Committee and is the current President of the New Zealand Boot Throwing Association (NZBTA). In the mid-1980s, he became a champion thrower in Taihape’s annual Gumboot Day and has since promoted the sport with his wife. They have taken Taihape to world competitions. In 2021 he won the Toyota Lifetime Legacy Award from NZBTA as part of the Norwood Rural Sports Award. He is a past member of the Taihape St John Area Committee and has driven the Taihape ambulance when the team is short staffed. Mr Troon has been coaching young people at the Taihape Badminton Club since 2023.
The King’s Service Medal:
WATSON, Mrs Jacqueline June (Jackie)
For services to the community and the arts
Mrs Jackie Watson has been a member of the Kaiapoi Tuahiwi Community Board since 2010 and Chair since 2021, and has contributed to the Waimakariri district through arts and community initiatives.
Mrs Watson was a major player in the All Together Kaiapoi (ATK) initiative, a community organisation which staged Waitangi Day events and a variety of community festivals that assisted the Kaiapoi community in its post-quake recovery in the decade following the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. She was a valuable member of the Waimakriri Earthquake Support Service helping affected families. A member of the Waimakariri Community Arts Council since 1991, she is a founding member of the Kaiapoi Art Expo, now in its 19th year, and has played a key role in developing an Arts Strategy for the district. As Chair of the Waimakariri Public Arts Trust she has increased the number of sculptures in public places. Mrs Watson led the initiative to open a public art space, Art on the Quay, in the Ruataniwha Kaiapoi Civic Centre and has so far organised 100 exhibitions.
The King’s Service Medal:
WEIR, Dr Glenys Margaret
For services to health
Dr Glenys Weir has served the Gore community as a General Practitioner since 1981.
Dr Weir began working at the Gore Medical Centre in 1981 and was the first female GP in the Gore District. She volunteered her services to rural health days offering free consultations for health screening and promotion. She has been a co-director of the Gore Medical Centre from 1996 to 2023 and participated in the local after-hours roster. Since 2005 she has been a teacher with the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners’ vocational training programme, and she has provided daily teaching, mentoring and supervision of registrars as a contracted teacher between 2008 and 2019. Many of her former students have stayed on to serve the Southland community. She arranged and led a local doctor peer review group, providing collegial support and a place to review cases. She has engaged with the wider community at various times to develop community-based care initiatives, and supported timely access to care through weekly rural clinics in Waikaka, Cremation Referee services and free school-based health clinics. For 20 years she served as a medical sexual assault clinician assessing and supporting victims of sexual abuse. Since 1981, Dr Weir has been involved in the leadership of the Waikaka-Knapdale Presbyterian Church, including teaching Sunday School.
The King’s Service Medal:
WITHERS, Miss Merrilyn Joy
For services to youth and the Baptist movement
Miss Merrilyn Withers has contributed to youth work through the Baptist movement in both paid and voluntary capacities, locally, regionally and nationally for 48 years.
Miss Withers became a community youth worker in the Wellington South Baptist Church in 1979, before working for Baptist Youth Ministries (National) as a travelling youth worker and youth ministry consultant, serving churches across the denominational spectrum in New Zealand and overseas, and providing counselling and mentoring to youth. As one of the first two regional workers for Baptist Youth Ministries, she worked in Canterbury and Westland in the 1980s, was Youth Director for the lower North Island from 1989 to 1997. She was National Youth Director of the Baptist Union of New Zealand from 2003 to 2012 and President of the Baptist Union from 2008 to 2009. She has encouraged pastors and faith group leaders into difficult areas of youth ministry, including where family violence and youth suicide have been prominent. She has organised hundreds of camps for tens of thousands of attendees over the years, from annual Baptist Youth Ministries Easter camps to various school holiday camps. In 2000, Miss Withers organised the inaugural Xtend Camp, an annual youth leadership training camp for 200 to 300 older teenagers, which she continued running on a voluntary basis from 2012 to 2025.
The King’s Service Medal:
YANG, Mr Yuanyong
For services to bonsai and the Chinese community
Mr Yuanyong Yang has been a cornerstone in the promotion and development of Chinese bonsai art in Auckland and New Zealand.
Mr Yang has been Chair Assistant of the New Zealand Chinese Bonsai Society since 2006. He has been key in fundraising for the society to participate in numerous cultural events including the Whau Art Festival, Multicultural Day, and the Chinese New Year Market Day in Auckland. In 2019 he founded the Auckland Bonsai/Penjing Art Centre Trust, which has promoted bonsai art and organised numerous exhibitions and events, as well as workshops. He organised the Dragon Bonsai Day during the World of Cultures Week hosted by Auckland Council. He introduced the Cantonese Ninglan style bonsai show to New Zealand and has facilitated collaborations between Chinese and New Zealand bonsai artists. He initiated an oral history project to preserve the contributions and development of Chinese Bonsai in New Zealand, which has been adopted by the National Library and Auckland Library. He has advocated for the Chinese community with the Auckland Council as a member of the Community Partner project, ensuring Chinese voices are taken into account for consultations such as long-term planning. Mr Yang has been a member of the Auckland Chinese Community Centre since 2014.
Honorary King’s Service Medal:
FA'AVAE, Mr Eteuati (Eddie)
For services to the Pacific community
Mr Eddie Fa’avae has contributed to the Pacific communities in the Nelson region for more than 30 years.
Mr Fa’avae led the committee that in 1996 established the first Congregational Church of Samoa in the northern South Island, and subsequently was a foundation member and the first Deacon of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa in Nelson, established in 2001. He was a founding member, Chairman from 1990 to 2011, and cultural advisor until 2021 of the Nelson Tasman Pasifika Community Trust, playing a key role in its establishment and operations, forging strong networks with local businesses and welfare organisations, ensuring Pacific families have access to crucial support services. He has been pivotal in fostering and strengthening relationships between the Pacific community and local iwi, notably in fundraising efforts to build Whakatū Marae in Nelson. He was pivotal in addressing the need for migrant workers in the Nelson region, partnering with local stakeholders to bring the first migrant workers to the area. This initiative, which has since transitioned into the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, has been critical in supporting the local orchards and providing economic opportunities for workers. Mr Fa’avae volunteered his services with the RSE scheme from 2006 to 2021, providing pastoral care to workers and helping with integration into the community.
Honorary King’s Service Medal:
LATU, Mrs Siesina Ofahelotu (Sina)
For services to the Pacific community
Mrs Sina Latu has contributed to the Pacific communities in the South Canterbury region for 10 years.
Mrs Latu was a founding member of the Tongan Society South Canterbury in 2016, and since 2020 has been General Manager, leading a range of cultural, social and wellbeing support for the Tongan and wider Pacific community in South Canterbury. She was a member of the Timaru Boys’ High School Board of Trustees from 2020 to 2023. She is a member of the Pacific Advisory Group (PAG) at Ara Institute of Canterbury, providing leadership and influence to effectively support the participation, success and progression of Pacific students. She was a member of the Pacific Health Strategy Advisory Group with the Ministry of Health in 2022, contributing to policies promoting equitable healthcare for Pacific communities. She was a member of the Consumer Council at Te Whatu Ora providing insights that guided the development of culturally appropriate strategies, improving health outcomes for Pacific Peoples across New Zealand. She is the Hou’eiki (leader) of Free Wesleyan Church in Timaru, where she served as Project Manager for the church renovation completed in 2024. She was recipient of the Sunpix Pacific Peoples Community Leadership Award in 2024. Mrs Latu has been a registered social worker at Oranga Tamariki since 2015.