Trio lauded for community efforts

Iris Thomas

Iris Thomas has been given the Queen's Service Medal for services to sport and the community.

The Tauranga South woman had organised numerous fundraising events across Tauranga in the past 25 years, including the Women's Annual Walk 4 Breast Cancer from 2003 to 2011 and the Placemakers 24-Hour Charity Relay from 1993 to 2002.

She founded Kids Can Ride in 2006, a school safety education programme in Tauranga, and initiated the project Bikes for Kids which co-ordinated donated bikes for children in low socio-economic areas.

Mrs Thomas was a founding member of Cycle Action Tauranga and she also helped improve cyclist rights and education around cyclist safety.

Mrs Thomas said winning the award was "bloody nice", but the work she had done in the community had never been about the recognition.

"You do get more back than you put in, it's such a pleasure and gives you such a buzz," Mrs Thomas said.

Mrs Thomas said she was hoping to go to the ceremony in Wellington. "I'm very excited, more excited than I thought I would be," she said.

Harini-based Bruce Cronin has been given a Queen's Service Medal for services to the community.

Mr Cronin was manager of Bay Trust between 1997 and 2014, and had a post-graduate scholarship established in his name for Bay of Plenty students studying science.

Bruce Cronin

He was trustee and deputy chair of Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust from 1996 to 2015. During this time the capital fund grew from $42 million to $700 million.

Mr Cronin also spent time as chair of the Western Bay of Plenty Disability Support Trust, and was a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management and a Chartered Accountant.

Mr Cronin said winning the award was unexpected, but he was "absolutely delighted".

"It's just not something I would ever imagine," he said. "It never occurred to me that I'd get one of these honours."

He put many of his achievements down to the "huge volunteer base in the organisations he has worked for".

Mick Kelly

The founding President of the Whangamata Marina Society, Mick Kelly, was awarded a Queen's Service Medal for services to the community.

Mr Kelly had put in thousands of voluntary hours over 17 years to the marina, and he was a driving force in the approval and construction of the Whangamata Marina in 2009.

He led the Society through the High Court after the Minister of Conservation vetoed the Environmental Court approval, and won back the consent approval.

Mr Kelly said what kept him going was the benefit the marina would give Whangamata, "and a bit of bloody mindedness".

"We always thought it would be better for Whangamata," Mr Kelly said. He said he was happy to be receiving the award.

"It's an honour, but it's also a reflection of other people's hard work," Mr Kelly said.

He is now a life member of the Whangamata Marina Society, and a volunteer coastguard radio operator.