Napier Citizens’ Civic Award recipients for 2017 named

Published: 7 September 2017

Four community stalwarts who have contributed thousands of hours of voluntary labour, love and wisdom to the Napier community were named as our Civic Award recipients for 2017.

Citizens’ Civic Award recipients 2017. Fom left, Dr Tim Bevin, Philip ‘Piripi’ Smith, John Gilmore, and Yvonne Atkins.

Four humble volunteers were recognised for their hard work for the community at the 2017 Napier Citizens’ Civic Awards held last night (Wednesday 6 September) at the Napier Conference Centre.

The awards, which took place before an audience comprising family, friends, and close work and former colleagues, were hosted by Napier Mayor Bill Dalton.

Between them John Gilmore, Yvonne Atkins, Dr Tim Bevin and Philip (Piripi) Smith have provided a wide range of support for all sorts of people in the Napier community, from war veterans to talented young thespians, rugby players to wannabe seafarers. The common thread which binds them is their drive and commitment to help others.

Yvonne Atkins, a long serving member of the Napier branch of the NZ Red Cross, has spent 23 years helping behind the scenes and front of house for the Stars of Tomorrow Stage School of Singing, Drama & Dance, and the Napier Girls’ High School Old Girls’ Association. She originally joined the Association as a reunion delegate 24 years ago compiling a database of pupils since 1884, and is currently its treasurer.

The former Hawke’s Bay tennis representative is a life member of the Taradale Cricket Club, Napier Netball, HB Netball and Eastern Netball. She received a Netball NZ Service Award for her dedication to the latter sport.

She has been a driver for Meals on Wheels for more than 50 years, plying the same route up to five times a month, a huge commitment given most drivers average once a month. “I love it, it’s an amazing organisation,” she says.

John Gilmore has looked after old soldiers for more than four decades, first as a manager of war pensions at what’s now the Ministry of Social Development, then as a support officer for Taradale and District RSA, and Napier RSA.

Besides training support officers across the Bay, John’s voluntary work includes assisting with sorting out hearing aids, or glasses, or doctor visits. “They’ll talk about their experiences, often very vividly,” he says. “Loneliness is a big thing.”

Between them John Gilmore, Yvonne Atkins, Dr Tim Bevin and Philip (Piripi) Smith have provided a wide range of support for all sorts of people in the Napier community, from war veterans to talented young thespians, rugby players to wannabe seafarers. The common thread which binds them is their drive and commitment to help others.

Dr Tim Bevin has been a part-time medical officer for the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board (HBDHB) for 33 years - as long as he has been in general practice in Napier – and is also medical advisor for Te Poutama Tautoko addiction programme.

His other voluntary roles have included being a volunteer trustee for the Hawke’s Bay Addiction Centre Trust for over 25 years, and a trustee of the Princess Alexandra Medical Trust for 23 years.

He has also found time to be a board member of Cranford Hospice for seven years, and doctor to the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Football Union for 16 years.

The Springhill Treatment Centre, which is run in partnership with the HBDHB, has been helping people in need for nearly four decades now and has been a great institution to be involved with, he says. “I’ve known some wonderful people who come out the other side of rehab with a lot more strength than they ever thought they had.”

Philip ‘Piripi’ Smith’s nominees describe him as a quiet man who has made a difference to so many people in so many projects, and a true celestial navigator.

Perhaps his best known role to date is as skipper of the Ahuriri-based waka Te Matau a Maui. He has volunteered thousands of hours to training its crew and maintenance.

He has also been a driving force behind the celestial star compass at Waitangi Regional Park, Awatoto, where he will share his mātauranga (knowledge) with the next generation. “This is probably the most significant historical land site in all of Hawke’s Bay.”

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