Jacqui Hughes
Jacqui Hughes, of Whakatane, received the Insignia of an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the community. She has established many playcentres in Auckland and the Bay of Plenty. She served on the South Auckland Education Board Early Childhood Education Advisory Committee and the New Zealand Playcentre Federation's Education and Publications Committees. She has been involved with development of correspondence courses on child development. She also established the Whakatane Community Arts Council, where she started the Summer Arts Festival. Mrs Hughes was also the Chief Executive of the Rural Education Activities Programme Eastern Bay, where she was instrumental in expanding the educational services in the region.