Editorial: Five to inspire us all

Clay artist Colleen Urlich. Photo / John Stone

Northland's five New Year Honours recipients provide plenty of inspiration for anyone considering becoming more involved in their community.

Community work often starts out by accident, or default. Helping out with a sports team, or a fundraising cause.

But when the season ends, or the funds are raised, what next?

There is something special about Northlanders who consciously choose to continue to proactively involve themselves in our communities.

This year, the recipients are spread across the region, from Warkworth to Kerikeri.

They come from a mixture of backgrounds, but share the common bond of having invested thousands of hours into the region.

Few people take part in community work for status or recognition, but it is certainly nice to have hard work recognised.

Congratulations to Colleen Urlich, from Dargaville, Craig Brown, Whangarei, Thomas Baker, Kerikeri, Jean Goldschmidt, Mangawhai and Joy Boniface, of Warkworth.

And if readers are short of inspiration for a New Year's resolution, perhaps you need look no further than this fine quintet?