Local heroes honoured at new bank premises
A group of Manawatu¯ community heroes have been honoured at the opening of a new Palmerston North bank and invited to inspect the rooms named after them.
Palmerston North’s first standalone Kiwibank branch opened for business, next door to AA centre in Broadway Ave, yesterday. Kiwibank Central North Island regional manager Peter Charlesworth said the bank was changing from operating at the same premises as NZ Post.
Charlesworth said each Kiwibank branch’s conference and consultation rooms were named after someone who’d made a great contribution to the local community. The Palmerston North branch gave the honours to four past Manawatu¯ winners of the Kiwibank Local Heroes Awards.
Fiona Bradley, a life-long Girl Guide and women’s rights advocate, was selected as World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Youth delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in 2011.
Bradley said it was an honour to see a room named after her.
Lyal Brenton volunteers at community service organisations such as Rotary, Jaycees, Scouts, and the Big Brother Big Sister organisation, and also helps parolees make a productive return to the community. Brenton was pleased to know the plaque on door of the room bearing his name would bring more attention to the organisations and causes he’d dedicated his life to.
The other two rooms were named for Ryder-cheshire Foundation Manawatu¯ social coach Barry Wynks and film-maker Richard Turner. Wynks, born with one leg and one arm, is a Commonwealth Games athlete and active coach and administrator in Manawatu¯ table tennis and bowls.
Turner was honoured for his te reo films and efforts to make Ma¯ ori culture more accessible.