Two get Queen's birthday honours

Derryk Shaw

Two Rotorua residents have been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours for their work for their community and iwi.

Lakes District Health Board chairman Derryk Shaw and Raukawa Settlement Trust chairwoman Vanessa Eparaima have been made Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Mr Shaw's leadership roles include being the vice-president (Asia, Pacific and Americas) of the IML Walking Association, chairman of the Rotorua Walking Festival, and on the board of the Central Technical Services, District Health Board New Zealand national executive, Rotorua Bike Festival Charitable Trust and New Zealand Maori Arts and Craft Institute.

He said he was "humbled" but also immediately thought of the support his family had provided over the years.

"I was a bit surprised and I was very humbled, but I felt really grateful in the sense of the recognition for Sally and the family.

"I've had a lot of support from Sally. I've been able to work with lots of great people along the way." He is also owner and director of APR Consultants and has been involved with the Rotary Club of Rotorua West for the past 25 years.

"I tend to start work quite early and I treat seven days in a week as a week rather than two days of rest."

Mrs Eparaima (Raukawa, Tuwharetoa and Tainui) isn't comfortable with being singled out with her honour.

The wife, mother and grandmother was the inaugural chairwoman of Raukawa Iwi Development Ltd - the commercial arm for Raukawa, an iwi traditionally based within Waikato, Taupo and Manawatu-Horowhenua regions.

She later became the chairwoman for the Raukawa Settlement Trust and was the lead negotiator for the iwi which achieved its deed of settlement signing in 2012 and completed its settlement negotiations in April this year.

"My first reaction was I don't deserve this."

She said there were so many others who had put their "heart, soul and life working with their people".

"To tell you the truth I am a bit uneasy about it.

"Everything I do has been done with a group of very experienced people and I have been given great guidance by our kaumatua so this is more a recognition of Raukawa," Mrs Eparaima said.

The 49-year-old was a former chief executive of Whakarewarewa Thermal Village Tours.

She is also a director of Central North Island Iwi Holdings.

She expressed gratitude to her husband, Ngarepo, and her elders for their support and guidance.