Diane Yalden has been awarded a Queen's Service Medal. Photo / Supplied
Diane Yalden has been awarded a Queen's Service Medal. Photo / Supplied
"Someone asked me 'When will you stop volunteering?' I replied, 'Probably when I stop standing'."
Those words sum up Diane Yalden, whose 25-year history as a volunteer spans from community board to library to squash club and everywhere in between.
Today that service has been recognised in the Queen's BirthdayHonours as Yalden has been awarded the Queen's Service Medal for services to the community.
Yalden has been volunteering at various places around Tāneatua for more than 25 years.
"I started when we moved to Tāneatua when my children were small. When they started school I started volunteering and helping out where I could," she said.
"I started volunteering and enjoyed it so much."
So she continued.
Diane Yalden has been awarded a Queen's Service Medal. Photo / Supplied
Yalden estimated her volunteer work amounted to more than 110 hours per year.
When she started she was working as a postwoman so volunteer work took up her afternoons and evenings.
She said the honour had blown her away and she wanted to thank the person who had nominated her.
"Last year I was a semifinalist for the Kiwibank Local Hero Awards. I got to the top three and that was brilliant. But when I received a letter saying I had been nominated for this, that was the icing on the cake."
It's about people.
"Tāneatua is a very small rural town and I like helping people."
Highlights of Yalden's volunteering career included being made a life member of the volunteer Fire brigade where she is a support officer.
"It was rare for a non-serviceperson to get that, and for a woman."
Tāneatua has been the community board chairwoman for seven years. The board includes Tāneatua, Ruatoki, Waimana, Nukuhou and Cheddar Valley and meets weekly.
Diane Yalden's volunteer history Tāneatua Community Board for 25 years including as deputy chairwoman from 2007 and chairwoman from 2013. Volunteered for Tāneatua Lions for 25 years including running a fundraiser with all proceeds going towards the volunteer fire brigade. Tāneatua Voluntary Fire Brigade support officer since 1996. Made a life member in 2018 in recognition of her fundraising and commitment to the brigade. A member of the Eastern Bay of Plenty Justices of the Peace Association since 1994, a council member since 2002 and registrar since 2004. Tāneatua School volunteer librarian from 1981 to 1984. Tāneatua Squash Club treasurer from 1994 to 2000. Volunteered with the Tāneatua Athletic and Tennis Clubs until they were incorporated into larger clubs in Whakatāne in 2001.
