60 years of service rewarded
Red Cross stalwart Allen Little is all about community
Allen Little was recently awarded a long service medal by the New Zealand Red Cross, for 60 years of service. Allen, 75, who has albinism and as a result has had very poor eyesight throughout his life, is the everoptimistic, smiling, outgoing individual who puts a smile on anyone’s face and who’s passionate about his community.
He raised a family, and carved out a career for himself while he explored many hobbies, such as astronomy and ham radio. He seems to harbour a sense of adventure and at times that even meant some questionable actions: like holding up the Kingston Flyer with a bunch of his mates, inspired by western stories they had heard on the radio as kids.
For a while he had supported “pirates”, running illegal broadcast station, Radio Hauraki, on a ship in the Hauraki Gulf in the ’60s.
He has been involved in many clubs and organisations throughout his decades living in Levin. He and wife Margaret also raised their two “adorable” daughters here.
Allen grew up in Southland, attending a one-room school with 12 students at Athol, where the sole teacher, John Bradley, instilled in him a desire to do good in the world and be of service to others. That started with involvement with the Red Cross as a member of the Junior Red Cross. Today he is president of the Levin branch.
He lived in Timaru and Parnell in Auckland, where he was a trainee at the Blind Foundation. He worked in the Post Office engineers’ office as a telephone test clerk. It wasn’t until he was 15 years of age when his low vision problem was looked into and acknowledged. Though he can see to some extent, he is legally blind.
His low vision is caused by albinism, a genetic condition, which means his body produces little or no melanin. The type and amount of the pigment determines the colour of your skin, eyes and hair, and plays a role in the development of optic nerves, resulting in vision problems. There is no cure.
Besides a passion for the Red Cross and his church, Allen Little also became an enthusiastic ham radio operator and to this day roams the airwaves and is known by his call sign ZL2GB.
Eventually the Post Office transferred him from Auckland to Lower Hutt where he got married to Margaret and did his first first aid course.
While there, he helped with street appeals, and collections for the Red Cross and ran various programmes that promoted the well-being of people.
He started community nurse training in Porirua under the auspices of Lower Hutt Hospital. Sadly an illness forced him to give this dream, at least for a while. He would have another, successful, go some time later.
When his health improved and the family moved to Whanganui he reapplied at Whanganui Base Hospital. There he graduated in 1977, as the only male nurse in a group of 25 women. He enjoyed his time training as a registered community nurse at Whanganui.
“They were brilliant,” he said. From 1982, Margaret and Allen and family spent two years at the Bible College in Henderson, Auckland, where he did a course in Christian service. Upon graduating they moved to Levin.
“I can’t remember why we came here, but we loved it from day one,” he remembers. He worked at Horowhenua Hospital and Kimberley Centre, from where he retired when the facility closed.
“Kimberley was a huge local employer. I was part of the community development team that encouraged the residents to be independent. We did what we could to help them survive in the outside.”
He was also very active in his local Presbyterian church, now the Uniting Church. Allen is a certified lay preacher and regularly leads church services.
He said faith, family and friends define him. His faith has been crucial in him wanting to be a force for good in the world and serve others.
Care for people with disabilities has been at the top of his agenda, especially for those with orthopaedic and mobility issues, he said.
In Levin he was a foundation member of the Toastmasters Club and founded the Radio Reading Service. He also enjoys the meetings of the local Astronomical Society.
For the Red Cross he helped raise funds, organised collections, organised first aid classes and encouraged people to look after themselves in an emergency. As president he has advocated for involvement with refugees.
Levin is full of caring people, he said. “That’s why I love it here.”
Since Margaret died, his family have found him a trusty companion: retired greyhound Gable.
His wife and daughters have played a major part in his life and without them he wouldn’t have been able to do what he has done, he said. He has tried to set an example for others.
“We need to build a positive relationship with people and encourage them to the best they can be. I have tried to cultivate teamwork and the team enables others,” he said.
The local Red Cross branch can always use more helpers. You can ring them at 920 2060.