Shirley McGlinchey found it "quite fun" to keep her nomination for a Queen's Service Medal a secret from her husband and six children, although she admits the nomination put her out of her comfort zone and that she was first horrified to learn of it.
She received the medal at an official ceremony at Government House in Wellington on September 6, an experience she describes as "humbling and a little bit emotional".
The nomination was for services to the community. Shirley has been a support field worker for Alzheimers Taranaki for 11 years, supporting families in Stratford, Eltham, Kaponga and other parts of the region. She
is the 'go-to' person for families on what she terms "their journey with dementia", helping them find ways to support a family member who suffers from this illness. Shirley says that it is the fact that "no one person's dementia journey is the same" that she finds so rewarding. She is able to be innovative and think out of the square on a daily basis.
After receiving the letter informing her she had been nominated, Shirley was asked to keep it a secret "as best able" until published in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. She managed that until the night before, when she told her identical twin Margaret. Her family only found out when they read the newspaper.