Services to community and country not unnoticed

Two locals have figured prominently in the Queen’s Birthday Honours announced last week.

Mangawhai’s Charles Cooke has been bestowed with the Queen’s Service Medal for services to the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association but his connection with the services runs much deeper, emanating from his career in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, a pre-cursor to his many current interests.

Since the 90s he has acted as treasurer and representative for the Air Cadet League, the director of the Museum of Transport and Technology and secretary treasurer and committee member of the Hakaru and District Memorial RSA, and is a member of the Whangarei RSA executive committee and President serving on the branch executive committee of the Kings Empire Veterans. He is also an original member of the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association Affiliates Forum.

Although he retired with his wife Betty to Mangawhai in 2005 his life has been ‘more of the same’ given his range if activities in support of ex-servicemen and associated bodies, though he does have a hobby which is, not surprisingly, the history of aeronautics. Cooke was fascinated by the sight of the turboprop Skyvan in Ireland in the early 70s and this has formed an ongoing interest fuelled also by Internet connections with other historians throughout the world.

"I'm delighted," he says of the honour. "My intention was to stay involved in the affairs of the RSA. It’s time-consuming but it’s enjoyable.”
And while he considers his activities to be somewhat low-key and just doing what keeps him busy, others have most certainly appreciated his efforts which have not gone unnoticed.

High achiever prefers farm life
Sir Lockwood Smith is a Ruawai farmer’s son who has worked his way through the ranks from distinguished University graduate, accomplished musician, to TV host.

Local body politics then led to national politics, entering Parliament in 1984 as the member for Kaipara. During the 1990s he served as Minister of Education, Minister of Agriculture, International Trade Minister, Deputy Finance Minister, Minister of Forestry and Minister of Tourism and served as  Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2008 to 2012.

Sir Lockwood is currently the New Zealand High Commissioner to the United Kingdom living in London with his wife Alexandra, herself a former staff member at Otamatea High School.

Despite his profile, Sir Lockwood has often been seen in support of or officiating at many local events. Many know him locally for his farming exploits, the promotion of the Belgian Blue beef cattle breed within New Zealand and he is seldom happier when, dressed in shorts and gumboots, preening his cattle for A&P shows throughout the north during the summer period.

Though he describes London as “vibrant and dynamic” he misses his Ruawai farm and the New Zealand lifestyle.