Marlborough says thank you

Marlburians who sacrifice their time to help others have been honoured at Marlborough's 150th Community Awards.

Marlborough Mayor Alistair Sowman presented 50 people with crest-of-Marlborough badges and a certificate for their community involvement from helping with netball to aiding churches to fundraising for IHC.

Mr Sowman said he marvelled at people's generosity of time, resources and knowledge.

Lloyd and Valerie Mapp were nominated as founders and organisers of the Pine Valley Outdoor Centre Trust, which enabled young people to develop self-esteem, confidence and a love of the outdoors.

The Mapps set up the trust in 1983 after the closure of Northbank School. Over the years they developed and built a low cost outdoor centre which is now used by most primary schools in Marlborough as well as tramping and 4WD clubs and other community groups.

Mrs Mapp said many urban children had never been in a rural environment so when they came to the centre they were encouraged to get out into the bush and be outside. "Most town kids don't have the opportunity to come into contact with farm animals."

The Mapps' farm, which surrounds the camp, has animals including peacocks, ostriches, sheep, cattle, deer and working farm dogs.

Over the years the centre has developed many physical activities such as a flying fox, playground, waterslide, swingbridge and logs for balancing.

Mrs Mapp said it was great seeing people leaving more confident than when they arrived as they had challenged themselves.

Mr Mapp said about 2000 people a year, from younger children to adults, used the centre.

Mrs Mapp said that at the beginning the trust members did anything and everything that needed to be done to ensure the centre was useable but now there was funding available to pay for some work. However, the Mapps and other trust members could still be found unblocking drains and tackling numerous other tasks which needed doing.

The couple said they felt privileged to be chosen for the award especially given the calibre of the other recipients.

COMMUNITY AWARD RECIPIENTS

Katherine Baxter, Vernon Bishell, Betty Boyce, Colin and Eldred Boyce, Lillian Broadhurst, Shirley Buckland, Terence Burtenshaw, Ian Columbus, Yvonne and Clive Dasler, Rod Eatwell, Rick Edmonds, Dorothy Fitzpatrick, Marie Flowerday, Glenys Ford, Janine Gallop, Ian Gifford, Anthony Grigg, Kenneth Ham, John Hensen, Gwenda Hodson, Lynette Jones, Maureen Joyce, Jenny MacDonald, Lloyd and Valerie Mapp, Donald McIver, Edith McKay, Kathleen Molyneux, John Murphy, Michael Newman, Con O'Brien, Christine O'Neil, John Orchard, Margaret Peace, Trevor Perry, Helen Quentin-Baxter, Anthony Quirk, Melva Robb, Pietro and Barbara Rocco, Lawrance Saunders, Heather Sorensen, Janice Thompsett, Roy Titheridge, Monyeen Wedge, Betty Woodham, Pam Woodward

- The Marlborough Express

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