Manawatu Community Honours

Posted by on 12 January 2005 | 0 Comments

MANAWATU District Mayor Ian McKelvie presented three Manawatu District Community Honours Awards – including a joint award - at the council’s final meeting of 2004.

The annual council-sponsored awards recognise significant contributions to the community by individuals or groups and nominees must have carried out meritorious service in the fields of community service, welfare, sport, culture, the arts, recreation or education.

The awards were initiated in 1991 and 43 district residents have now been honoured.

This year’s recipients are Lloyd and Barbara Billinghurst, Ivan Morton and Tony Mossop.

Lloyd and Barbara Billinghurst

Dedicated, long-serving commitment to the Rangiwahia and Halcombe communities by Lloyd and Barbara Billinghurst has been unselfishly provided for many years and shows no sign of easing.

During their time at Rangiwahia, the farming couple contributed time and energy to a raft of events and organisations, including presidential terms with the Oroua Lions Club, while at the same time providing for a large, happy and close family.

Lloyd’s practical common sense played a vital part in school committee and pony club activities, the annual sports day, the golf, table tennis and rugby clubs, the Ruahine-Rangiwahia Collie Club (of which he is a life member), the Methodist Church, Young Farmers, Federated Farmers and the Ruahine Hall Committee.

Barbara, who also worked for many years as the practice nurse in a doctor’s clinic at Mangaweka, centred her considerable talents and interests on the Women’s Division of Federated Farmers, the Rangiwahia Home and Garden Club and Plunket.

Even when Lloyd and Barbara moved to Halcombe about 12 years ago, their interest in community work remained undiminished as they transferred their Lions Club membership to Feilding Pakeke and became leading office bearers. In recent months they have helped with the Cancer Society’s daffodil project, collection for the blind and the distribution of telephone directories.

The couple has also been actively supportive of the Manawatu Historic Vehicle Collection Trust in Feilding, from the initial inception of the Coach House to raising funds for a building to house the collection. This tireless desire to raise awareness of the museum is indicative of their wholehearted support of the community in which they reside.

Ivan Morton

Tangimoana is indebted to retired ambulance officer, Ivan Morton, who is variously described as the beachside community’s “unsung hero” and “medical saviour”.

Ivan, a member of the Order of St John for 42 years and former ambulance officer at the Palmerston North Hospital for 12 years, has lived at Tangimoana since 1990 and is always readily available to provide residents with medical advice or care.

Tangimoana is 32 kilometres from the Palmerston North Hospital, and with a number of the community’s older residents sometimes needing medical services out of hours, Ivan’s comforting presence eases the anxious wait for the ambulance.

Ivan is always willing to provide first aid care, anywhere and at any time, and it’s not been unknown for him to be called to assist after an accident on the beach. He often uses his own medical supplies and never seeks reimbursement.

He is a volunteer driver for the hospital and transports patients to the Wellington Limbs Centre and is involved in St John’s coverage at race meetings, car rallies, rugby matches, motor cross events and the Tangimoana School’s annual sports meeting.

Ivan is enthusiastically involved in such community activities as tree planting and wood chopping at the Nuku Street Reserve and his “crazy cottage”, with its immaculate garden and lawn and collection of gnomes, concrete statues and whirly-gigs, brings a smile to everyone who passes.

Tony Mossop

A Rongotea resident for his entire life, Tony Mossop has dedicated much of his time to the community in many ways, with numerous clubs, organisations, committees and individuals benefiting from his dedication to their needs.

Tony’s dairy farm borders the Rongotea School and for many years he has offered the use of his paddocks for events such as the school cross-country, annual fireworks display and bonfire and parking for the Lions Club’s Waitangi Day gala. He has also been an active member of the school’s Board of Trustees and Chairman of the PTA for three years.

His relentless dedication to the community found him fully involved in raising funds for the Rongotea Sports and Recreation Centre and then playing an important role on the centre’s administrative committee. He is a respected member of the Rongotea Community Council, a volunteer for neighbourhood watch and a member of the Rongotea Volunteer Fire Brigade for 31 years, attending more than 95 percent of the callouts during his time.

During the February storm event, Tony became so heavily involved in evacuating and assisting residents affected by the rising floodwaters that he worked virtually non-stop with only a few hours break for a rest. When the floodwaters eventually receded, he organised trucks, trailers and tractors to assist with some of the massive cleanup operations that were required.

Tony Mossop has always shown strength and courage in times of adversity, but at the same time, is often thinking of others in the community more than himself.

Source: Manawatu District Council.

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