2009
The Board was pleased to present the ‘Eastbournes’ 2009 to Gail McJorrow, Ross Carroll, Barry Wilson and Eastbourne Rights
Gail McJorrow – community initiatives.( early childhood, yacht club, Muritai School)
Gail’s contribution to the Eastbourne Community has been enormous spanning twenty years.
Gail had the foresight to identify the needs of Eastbourne families for a crèche. She was the key driving force in getting the required consents, purchasing the property, and setting up the crèche in 1990, now the Barnado Early Child Care Centre Trust with ongoing benefits for the Eastbourne community.
Gail was also the instigator of much of the Muritai school fund-raising in the 1990s. She introduced auctions of goods and services.
Gail has been the driver of much fundraising for the Murtai Yacht Club for replacement of the rescue boats, and obtained sponsorship for national and local sailing regattas held at Muritai Yacht Club.
She also was a major force in saving the Eastbourne Swimming Pool from closure. She fundraised for the new filtration system and proved to the Hutt City that the viability was not in question thanks to her organisation of early morning swimming, teaching children to swim, Swim- club and recreational swimming.
She was involved with maintaining and enhancing the viability of Eastbourne businesses as well as promoting the business profile of Eastbourne to the greater Wellington community.
Gail is an enthusiast and has been a very capable advocate for the benefit and vibrancy of the Eastbourne Communty. She is a worthy recipient of an “Eastbourne.”
Thank you Gail for your vitality and the changes you brought to Eastbourne.
Ross Carroll – voluntary fire service
Ross Caroll assumed the mantle of Eastbourne fire chief in 1988, a post his father Evan held previously. Indeed, along with his mother Lyn, the Carrolls’ have provided 150 years voluntary unpaid service of the highest order to Eastbourne.
It is said Ross attended his first fire when six months old when his parents answered a fire call. It goes without saying that Community service was imbued into him at a very early age, as indeed was the unflinchingly teamwork firefighting demands and more latterly medical emergency callouts as first responder. Unquestionably Ross and his fellow firefighters under his leadership, have been responsible for directly saving Eastbourner’s lives, as well as protecting their properties from fires.
Unknown and unsung are the countless hours of unpaid time Ross and his team spend attending courses and practicing what we witness in all sorts of weather and times on Bishop Park. The first responder emergency training course requires a week off work. Ross has the personal distinction of having one of the best attendance records of any volunteer fire officer in the country at nearly 95%. Furthermore he carries a pager 24/7, natural damper on one’s personal time and lifestyle.
This Community award is well-deserved. It is hard to think of any other Eastbourner who has given such demanding, unflinchingly long service to Eastbourne and its residents.
Thank you Ross for the service you have given.
Barry Wilson – securing assets ( Rona Bay Wharf + defibrillator trust)
Barry is nothing if not entertaining, with an admirable if not always reverent turn of phrase.
Born, educated and resident (until recently) locally he is passionate about Eastbourne and its causes.
This passion and his commitment to it have led him to champion his chosen causes with rare vigour and personal energy.
Barry was the leader of the campaign to save the Rona Bay Wharf…it succeeded, in large part through Barry’s adept media management and imagination. Later he was instrumental in getting the light on the Wharf…a Centenary project.
His support for Eastbourne Volunteers and people led him to be involved in the campaign to fund a defibrillator to enable the Volunteer Fire Brigade to double as First Response Team..a real benefit to all of us in Eastbourne.
He has also been strong in his support for the occupants of the now gone housing units at Korohiwa…and doubtless is watching developments there with an eagle eye.
Thank you Barry for what you have done.
Eastbourne Rights – John McEwen and Jeff Tallon – For energising the community and providing a platform for Eastbourne to be heard.
By the middle of this decade Eastbourne people were increasingly concerned that their interests had been totally submerged in those of Hutt City, and that their two elected Councillors and Community Board were not being listened to (and indeed even the existence of the Board was under threat). The demolition of the rental accommodation at Korohiwa was resented by many but locals felt powerless.
Eastbourne Rights Incorporated was formed in response to this situation and after considerable research and behind-the-scenes effort, proposed secession from Hutt City, forming links with Petone and establishing a commonality of interest. ERI collected the required number of signatures thanks to numerous local volunteers and superb organisation.
There can be little doubt that the shock of this legal proposal had a major and positive effect on Eastbourne-Hutt relationships. Whether this has durability or not is yet to be fully proven, but this action has shown the resolve of the Eastbourne community to have an effective voice within HuttCity.
Thank you John and Jeff for your leadership, time and passion for your community