From thousands of nominations, the New Zealander of the Year’s independent judges today selected 100 outstanding individuals across the country to be recognised as the Tower New Zealand Local Hero Te Pou Toko o te Tau Medallists.
And it will be no surprise to anyone who knows Jane that she is one of them!
Jane joined Parent to Parent as a Regional Coordinator in 2018 and is a beacon of knowledge and hope for families raising disabled, neurodivergent and health-impaired children in Te Moana a Toi, the Bay of Plenty. She organises educational workshops, facilitates peer support groups, and provides individualised guidance—putting in super-human efforts to bridge the gap between families and the support networks they need.
Her dedication to inclusion and empowerment also extends to volunteering as a coach at the Special Olympics every second Saturday. Having run her own swim school in Papamoa for eight years and worked for the Red Cross as Community Programmes Coordinator—teaching First Aid to under-twelves and delivering a youth drug and alcohol programme—Jane’s commitment to leading lifeline initiatives (both in the water and out) spans decades.
Jane’s impact extends beyond the families she supports to inspiring colleagues, mentoring volunteers, and shaping inclusive policies to improve access to services across communities. Not only this, our local CBOP hero is also building networks across the Central Lakes and Manawatū regions. Legend!
See who’s making a difference across the motu, and join us in celebrating Jane and all the local legends who were announced medallists today!
Thank you, Tower Insurance and Kiwibank, for celebrating incredible Kiwis making a real impact.
