Doreen Barns is the Whanganui Chronicle's Person of the Year for 2021. Photo / Lewis Gardner
Last month we put the call out to our readers for nominations and from an impressive pool we've chosen two runners-up and a winner. Here is your Whanganui Chronicle Person of the Year for 2021.
Doreen Barns has made sure there was always something to look forward to.
Barns is the event coordinator for IHC Whanganui and was nominated by her colleagues there.
They applauded her for all the work she has done in another Covid-19 affected year.
IHC is one of New Zealand's leading providers of services for people with intellectual disabilities.
IHC Association Chair Nerrily Frith said Barns had been absolutely fantastic and her award was well deserved.
"She has organised so much for our IHC clients, the ones who can't get out. She has gone over, above and all around.
"They can't go out and can't have people in and she has really helped them out. She is awesome."
Barns mainly works with those in IDEA Services homes, which supports adults of all ages with disabilities to live in their own homes and be part of the local community.
Barns, who has a daughter with disabilities, said her work has been a lifelong commitment to help make the lives of those who have disabilities better.
She has been in her role with IHC for the past two years.
Throughout the year, Barns has worked hard to make sure those with IHC have plenty of events on their social calendar, despite how disruptive this year has been because of Covid-19.
"We have disco and pizza nights, which we hold once a month. That has been a bit disrupted due to Covid-19 but we will get that back up and running."
As well as that, they've been to a number of tribute concerts, including Neil Diamond, the Bee Gees and Abba.
"They had a fabulous time. All that dancing in the aisles, the Opera House is amazing."
She also organised a delayed viewing of Poppy, with the star of the movie, Libby Hunsdale, in attendance.
They've had a few functions at the Brick House in the past year, with Barns applauding owner Dibin Paul, for all his support and making sure the group felt right at home.
"They decorated the whole place for us with all their beautiful Christmas decorations for our mid-year Christmas do. Everyone just loves it."
As a precaution with Covid-19 around, those living in IDEA Services homes have been a bit limited as to what they can do and weren't able to attend a Christmas function this year.
Instead, Barns organised to have the Christmas lunch delivered to their homes.
She also organised to have a personalised teddy to be delivered with each lunch, which had their names sewn on to them by the Whanganui Sewing Centre.
"How lovely is it to have a teddy with your own name on it?
"I organised with Neville Gorrie to take all the teddies with all the lunches. There was a group of committee members and we delivered them all across Whanganui.
"It was just so rewarding. They just loved them. We showed them how to give them a cuddle so when they are feeling sad and lonely, they can just cuddle them."
The team at IHC delivered 98 lunches and teddies to people around Whanganui.
"If you give a teddy a big cuddle, it is amazing how it makes you feel. You could see that on their faces, it was just beautiful."
Barns said helping those who need it gives her great joy and pleasure.
"It has filled a void in my life. I don't know what it is, it just gives me pleasure that I can give others pleasure, especially people who are disadvantaged in some way.
"I'm quite overwhelmed and it's made me feel quite tearful. With the help of the committee, I have helped achieve a lot for people with disabilities and I am really proud of that. Thank you, to whoever nominated me."
Whanganui athletes performed well at the NZ Secondary Schools Track and Field Champs.