Far North women honoured
Two inspiring and hard working Far North women have been honoured in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
Matawaia’s Moe Milne was made Officer of the said Order [ONZM] for services to Maori and health while Hupara’s Shirley May was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal [QSM] for services to music and the community.
Milne says she is honoured to be recognised for the work she has done, which includes addressing mental health issues in her roles as a psychopaedic, general and psychiatric nurse.
She has also contributed to the national Maori addiction strategy Te Hau Marire, and chaired the Maori health research group to improve research ethics with Maori. She says she is very proud of her supportive whanau; six children and 16 grandchildren.
‘‘My whanau support the work that I do because we’re all committed to making a difference and making our Maori world easier to live in. We live in a little community in the middle of the Bay of Islands that is not wealthy.
‘‘But the gift that my parents and ancestors gave me is the confidence in being Maori and in this place, and in ngati hine - it’s always in my heart.’’
Milne, a member of the Maori committee of the Royal Australia and NZ College of Psychiatrists, won the organisation’s Mark Sheldon award last year, along with the Te Ao Maramatanga Maori Mental Health Nurses Award.
Shirley May was ‘‘overwhelmed and chuffed’’ to be awarded her QSM. She has been a volunteer organiser of the Bay of Islands Country Rock Festival for 28 years and the Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival for 25 years.
The events encompass up to nine venues and more than 300 musicians, attracting more than 2000 visitors to the area.
‘‘It’s made me think all these years with all this graft has paid off; people have obviously appreciated what I’ve done. That’s what keeps me going. For our local area, it’s a big thing - not just for me, for everyone, all the volunteers. There are heaps of them out there that go unrecognised.’’
May has organised the Kawakawa Vintage Railway Concerts for eight years, and has been on various committees. She was awarded the Kiwibank Local Hero award last year.