New Year Honours: Jean Goldschmidt

Jean Goldschmidt. Photo / John Stone

At nearly 77, Mangawhai's Jean Goldschmidt is showing no signs of slowing down.

A keen tramper and aerobics aficionado, Mrs Goldschmidt was one of the driving forces behind the inception of Mangawhai's Walking Weekend, which this year spanned four days and included more than 30 different walks.

It's her dedication to Mangawhai that has won her Queen's Service Medal for services to the community.

Mrs Goldschmidt said her first feeling when she was contacted about winning the award was one of embarrassment.

"Because of what I think of all the other amazing people in Mangawhai. I feel as if I'm just one of a number of people that could win this ..."

The Southland-born mother of three and grandmother of eight first moved to Mangawhai in 1998, after running a bed and breakfast in Remuera for a decade, with her husband Don Goldschmidt.

"Mangawhai wasn't on maps - it was ignored."

Along with local Jan Jacob, Mrs Goldschmidt initiated the Walking Weekend the following year in an attempt to bring Aucklanders up to visit Mangawhai as a tourism destination.

More than 100 volunteers helped out with the 15th annual Walking Weekend this year, which highlighted its success, she said.

Born out of the Walking Weekend in 2010 was the Mangawhai Tracks Charitable Trust, of which Mrs Goldschmidt is secretary, and was a founding member of.

Mrs Goldschmidt has also been a Mangawhai Promotions Group committee member and Accommodation Group Mangawhai member and chairwoman, as well as establishing the Mangawhai Information Centre in 1998, for which she remains a committee member.