Royal recognition for Palmerston North Sergeant Andy Brooke

Sergeant Andy Brooke has been in New Zealand Police since 1981 and has been involved with Search and Rescue since 2004. Photo / Supplied

Sergeant Andy Brooke has been awarded the Queen's Service Medal for services to search and rescue.

The Palmerston North police officer was honoured in the Queen's Birthday Honours, announced on Monday.

Brooke has been involved in search and rescue since 2004. He is chairman of the Palmerston North Search and Rescue Group and has been the officer in charge of the Manawatū Police Search and Rescue Squad since 2008.

As well as participating in many local and national searches, he has spearheaded training for police staff and LandSAR volunteers. This includes sharing his skills and time to programmes benefiting young people, especially in the outdoors, and on training people to use equipment which help find those at risk of wandering.

"There's been lots of interrupted family time because of callouts. My wife and family have been very understanding, and so have the families and bosses of the volunteers," Brooke says.

"Finding someone alive is an amazing feeling, but sadly not all searches end this way."

Former Palmerston North mayor Heather Tanguay has been made a Companion of the Queen's Service Order.

She was recognised for services to local government and the community. Tanguay was mayor from 2004 to 2007 and a city councillor before that.

She was executive director of Red Cross Palmerston North from 1987 to 1994, establishing the Manawatū Multicultural Council and initiating several fundraising schemes including an annual book sale.

She initiated the Ethkick annual football tournament in Palmerston North and introduced a Muslim women's swimming group.

Tanguay and her husband Jerry moved to Auckland in 2013 and she has volunteered hundreds of hours to West Auckland community projects over the past seven years.

Barbara Cameron has been awarded the Queen's Service Medal for services to the community and local government

Cameron (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) was a councillor with Manawatū District Council from 1998 to 2001 and 2007 to 2019.

The Feilding resident was a trustee of Arohanui Hospice Trust from 2005 to 2013 until her appointment to MidCentral DHB from 2013 to 2019.

Robin Simmons was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the rail industry. The Kimbolton resident has been regarded as one of the most experienced locomotive engineers in the country and was involved with the rail industry from 1974 until his retirement this year.

Simmons has been a leader and manager of frontline operations. At KiwiRail, he was subject matter expert on all operational matters concerning fuel and energy savings. He has left a legacy of updated rules and codes for rail transport standards, having simplified and modernised publications for the industry and staff training.

Simmons has written policy for private groups such as the Pahiatua Railcar Society and other rail heritage groups.