A South Canterbury stalwart’s work on the stage and in the community has been recognised with a King’s Service Medal.
For more than 50 years Carol Angland has served the South Canterbury community through volunteer roles in organisations like the South Canterbury Drama League, Arthritis South Canterbury and Hospice South Canterbury.
She said it was a lovely surprise to have been awarded a KSM.
‘‘I almost didn’t open the email, thinking it was a scam. Then after I opened it, it was actually quite a shock, I am very grateful to the people who thought I was worthy of it.
‘‘It brought a lot of memories back of all the people that I’ve worked with and all the amazing friendships that I’ve had in South Canterbury. I really have to thank my husband and family and friends because they’ve all been dragged into everything that I’ve done.
‘‘From line umpiring for our tennis tournaments, collecting on the street or being the worst to be in a play or backstage — I really think the award is for them and for the community.’’
Ms Angland, a former drama teacher, has been a volunteer at the SCDL for 45 years.
She is a past chair of the Repertory Section, was president of the SCDL from 2002 to 2005, and has written and directed several plays for the league including Captain Cain in 2023, which received local and national acclaim.
Theatre had always been a love of hers, she said.
‘‘Even from when I was very little and growing up in Geraldine. Then that sort of progressed at Teachers College and university, it’s just a passion that I’ve had and I just love it.
‘‘With the South Canterbury Drama League, there was so much opportunity and because writing is another love of mine, the two worked very well together.
‘‘I do think theatre is very important in the community . . . it’s not just entertainment, theatre can be thought-provoking too, and that’s what I like to think, that people are being challenged.’’
She said her time with the drama league was also a catalyst for her further volunteer work.
‘‘People knew my passions were theatre and writing so I began to get asked to do a lot of skits for different organisations. Then I got asked to write and direct a video for South Canterbury Hospice and that’s where it began with them.’’
Ms Angland is now a life member of Hospice South Canterbury, where she has been a volunteer since 1996.
Her roles have included video producer, home carer, retail assistant, and biographer recording patients’ life stories for their families.
She was a co-organiser of the South Canterbury Wine and Food Festival and wrote Loving Care, the history of the first 25 years of Hospice South Canterbury.
Ms Angland is also the author of the published histories of Presbyterian Support South Canterbury, Tennis South Canterbury and The Mid and South Canterbury Community Trust.
In 2011 she received a Community Service Award from Arthritis New Zealand for 15 years of voluntary service organising door-to-door and street collections for Arthritis South Canterbury.
It was important to give back to the community, she said.
‘‘After I left full-time teaching and we had bought a pharmacy, we were very aware of the needs in the community and it felt even more important to give back as much as we could.
‘‘There’s so much need and especially in the health area. It’s nothing to do with money, it’s to do with ill health often or grief or loneliness, all sorts of things.
‘‘I think what people need to do is find something they’re passionate about and use the skills that they have because everyone can help in some way. Most people do volunteer in some way, but there’s always extra you can do and you get far more back than what you give.’’
