Kelly Makiha: Spotlight turned on one of our own

Kelly Makiha

Congratulations to the five Rotorua residents who are today named in the New Year Honours list.

Those named must feel incredibly chuffed they have been recognised for the work they do. Most of the time, these sorts of people don't like to be honoured, or even named. Such are the personalities of these humble folk.

At the Rotorua Daily Post, we are particularly proud of Jill Nicholas, who is awarded a QSM for services to journalism and the community. After 55 years in the industry, Mrs Nicholas can lay claim to interviewing literally hundreds, if not thousands, of people over her career - which still continues today.

Many of us have had a long association with Mrs Nicholas since she was chief reporter and deputy editor of this newspaper. Today, her ties with the paper are still strong with her immensely popular Our People profiles, which run in the Saturday editions.

When I was 17, I came to the Rotorua newsroom on work experience. I was warned by my journalism tutor the chief reporter would pull no punches and I'd need to be on my game. He wasn't wrong. She suffered no fools but at the same time showed compassion and was willing to teach me and others in the newsroom. While Mrs Nicholas still, to this day, claps her hands with excitement with a great news story, she is equally driven to detail the interesting lives of those around us for her weekly features.

The Rotorua Daily Post has received numerous letters to the editor from readers who are eternally grateful for the profiles she writes. These profiles are more than just stories - they are providing historical accounts of worthy citizens which are treasured by families.

But journalism is, of course, just one of the many ways Mrs Nicholas gives to the community. As she puts it in today's paper: "Ours is a job which calls for a need to be aware not only of what's going on in the community, but for journalists to play an active part in that community."

That she certainly does.

For someone who is always standing at the ready with pen and notebook in hand to document the great things people have done in their lives, we think it's high time the spotlight is turned on her.