 
Te Aroha News
13 January 2009
Tutor awarded QSM
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HONOURED: Lynne Renwick QSM. |
A woman who came to Te Aroha “for a rest” was recognized in the New Years Honours list.
Lynne Renwick, co-ordinator and head tutor at Future Te Aroha, received the Queens Service Medal (QSM) for service to theatre and youth.
“I was really excited and thrilled when I found out I had won the award,” Ms Renwick told the Piako Post on Monday from England where she is visiting family. “I found out just before Christmas I had won it.”
“It is something I definitely was not expecting. It is not just for the work at Future Te Aroha, but for the theatre work I did in South Auckland.”
The Te Aroha Centre – a community and cultural base foe young people – was established by the Future Te Aroha Trust, including Ms Renwick, which bought the former Bendon building in Boundary St.
After 20 years involved in the performing arts in South Auckland, “I originally came her for a rest,” she said at the opening in November 2001.
However, Ms Renwick went to support her daughter Marama Killen – no working professionally in the film industry – at Te Aroha College and became involved in the annual Stage Challenge and school productions.
“They (the young people) were saying there’s nothing here,” she said. “They needed a place to give them a sense of pride.”
The theme for the centre is aroha – love.
“We show this by telling our stories and creating events and activities we share with visitors to the building.”
She said the centre is also a place to meet new friends and get together for performances, events, seminars/conferences, workshops, meetings and celebrations. Along with acting and dance classes, it takes shows to schools and pre-schools.
Two feature films have come out of the centre, with the auditorium developed as a sound stage.
“The premises now reflects the love and laughter of all those who visit there for a short time or ongoing basis,” said Ms Renwick.
“The theme for the building is Aroha for ourselves, our family and our community. Te Aroha centre tries to depict this through as many mediums as possible through the telling of our stories.”
She said the centre is also a safe place where youngsters can be comfortable in. “It’s their third place after home and school.”
With diplomas in economics and business management, Ms Renwick is co-author of education book Drama Starter. In 2003 she received an inaugural service award from Arts Access Aotearoa.
Ms Renwick will be invested with her QSM in Wellington in March or April.
“I would like to say a big thank you to all the people and my family (including her late husband Bill Killen) who have been a major part of my life and supported me in my work.”
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