Two Otago people will receive the Queen’s Service Medal from the Governor-General, Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, at an investiture ceremony at the Dunedin Club tomorrow (Friday 15 November 2013)
Stewart Harvey, of Dunedin, will receive the QSM for services to heritage preservation while Mavis Jessie Davidson, of Owaka, will receive the QSM for services to the community. The Governor-General has agreed to hold an investiture ceremony in Dunedin as both recipients are unable to travel to Government House in Wellington.
The investiture will occur at 3.30pm on Friday 15 November and media who want to attend need to contact Antony Paltridge, Public Affairs Manager at Government House on 021 470583 by 5pm today (14 November) to register their attendance.
Background information:
Mr Stewart Harvey, of Dunedin, for services to heritage preservation
Mr Harvey has volunteered for more than 20 years towards the preservation of New Zealand heritage in the Otago region. He was a member of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust’s Otago branch for eight years, and worked with the Dunedin City Council and the Dunedin North Rotary Club to clean and restore the Northern Cemetery. He is the chairman and honorary treasurer of the Historic Cemeteries Conservation Trust of New Zealand, which he established in 2001. Mr Harvey initiated the preparation and publication of a conservation management plan for Dunedin’s northern and southern cemeteries, which included the restoration of the southern cemetery’s Chinese section with the help of Chinese language experts and stonemasons. He also spearheaded fundraising efforts for the now completed restoration of the Larnach Family Tomb. He was a Foundation Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Otago Natural History Trust’s Orokonui Ecosanctuary and formed the Dunedin Prison Charitable Trust to buy and convert the building into a major world-class tourist attraction.
Mrs Mavis Jessie Davidson, of Owaka, for services to the community
Mrs Davidson has been active in Owaka community organisations since the early 1960s. She has been an organiser and supervisor of periodic detention offenders undertaking community work in the town since 1998. She has been a member of the Owaka Garden Club since 1962, the Owaka Floral Art Foundation since 1967 and helped create and maintain several gardens within Owaka. Mrs Davidson was a foundation member of Catlins Horticultural Society and has held the role of Head Steward. She is a Catlins Historical Society committee member and is a former treasurer. She helped establish the Owaka Museum and Information Centre in 2007 and continues to be a weekend volunteer. She was also a volunteer librarian at Owaka Library and was Owaka’s coordinator of Meals on Wheels for more than 30 years.