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Te Ao Māori News
Napier’s Mary Anne Eyles says her desire to help others has largely been “in my DNA” after growing up watching her family set an example.
The lifelong volunteer has been recognised with a King’s Service Medal for services to the community, as part of the New Year Honours.
Over the decades, Eyles has volunteered with Plunket, Red Cross, Hawke’s Bay Ethics Committee, and has been a longstanding Justice of the Peace (JP) and trainer of JPs.
The former teacher got involved with Plunket after the birth of her first child.
She went on to volunteer with the parent support organisation for 17 years in a variety of roles, including president of the Palmerston North branch and on the NZ Plunket executive team.
Napier's Mary Anne Eyles has been committed to voluntary work for decades.
“I started volunteering with Plunket because I went to a coffee morning.
“I was a new mum and needed to meet some people when we first moved to Palmy, and that was just brilliant.”
She has also been a JP since 1985, including six years serving on the Hawke’s Bay Justice of the Peace Association Council.
More recently, she joined the Napier Red Cross and has volunteered since 2012, including as the branch president from 2014 to 2020, helping to co-ordinate more than 230 members.
Eyles said her desire to volunteer came from her roots.
“It is in my DNA,” she said.
“My family in Hunterville [where I grew up] spent their lives volunteering. Service above self was their value.”
Her parents, Pat and Vryn Aldworth, were heavily involved in that community and it rubbed off on her and her siblings.
“It is part of my nature. I’m always looking for ways to be involved and to work with good people and help others.”
She said when she first read the email about receiving a King’s Service Medal, she thought it was a scam.
“My husband said, ‘I don’t think it is',” she recalled, with a laugh.
“It hasn’t sunk in. I don’t do recognition.
“I just like doing the work – so it’s humbling, it’s embarrassing, it’s scary, all of those adjectives.”
