Answering the call
Anneke Dinnington has been honoured with a King’s Service Medal.
Taupō’s Anneke Jacoba Dinnington has been honoured with a King’s Service Medal in the New Year Honours List 2026.
By Chris Marshall
The citation noted her contribution to the Taupō community through leadership roles at Age Concern and Taupō Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).
The latter, a part-time paid position, from which she only retired in late 2024 after 18 years’ involvement, saw her managing 20 volunteers.
“They're all good people… you wouldn't be at the CAB if you weren't there to help people.”
The organisation provides a broad enough knowledge that it can put people in the right direction, she says.
Being in the office most days meant her role provided continuity for the volunteers and clients.
“Let's say they come in on Monday, so you hear the whole story, and then they come in again on Tuesday. So, the person on Monday tries to help him, but they come back on Tuesday, so the new person's there, and they try and help them too… it's quite good to have somebody there fulltime to understand how that works.”
She allows herself a little roll of the eyes at some of the issues that come through the door.
“Oh, my… Well, yes, fences and dogs. Trees (blocking people’s views.) But, you know, there's also really sad things too.”
A quick recount of her own recent battle to find someone to repair her broken-down fridge provides an example of the frustrations people come in with.
It started with an 0800 call to the supplier but it was two and a half years old, so out of warranty.
“And that's the end of it... You don't know what to do, you don't know where to go.
She tried ringing around locally.
“They don't fix fridges anymore because it's not worthwhile. They only do commercial.”
She says those are the sorts of things people came into CAB for.
“Because you're so frustrated. And everything's online and I think a lot of people whether they are young or old haven't got that facility or they run out of data.”
Listening is an important first step at CAB, she says, and sometimes that’s all that is required.
“We actually found that if people are able to verbalise the issue, then they somehow sort it out themselves. But if you're sitting home stewing on it... it seems to be worse.
“There's nowhere you can go which is free for somebody to have a listening ear. And we had free lawyers there. CAB is such a great organisation.”
She is humbled by the KSM, admitting she didn’t expect reward for doing something she enjoyed.
“It doesn't actually enter your head, does it? … But I think there's so many good people out there. They do amazing things. And they never get recognised. And I think that's really sad.”
While still finding it “not quite real”, she is looking forward to visiting Government House.
Though a remark by a family member in Italy was definitely going to keep her from getting too carried away.
“She rings me up and she said: ‘Oh, you're the best chicken in New Zealand. You got the KFC.’
“So, how’s that for… bringing you down to earth. I just laughed.”
Dinnington was manager at Age Concern Taupō from 1992-2004, advocating for seniors locally and nationally and manager/coordinator for 18 years at the Taupō CAB, proving successful in raising funds to ensure the CAB could run effectively.
She was an active volunteer for many other services, a member of the Daycare Centre for the Elderly and Disabled Trust, the Waiora Community Trust Funding Distribution Committee and the Community Organisations Grants Scheme Tongariro Distribution.
She built working relationships with other community support groups, including Waiora House, the Foodbank and Interfaith Welfare, and served on the Board of Te Whare o Manaaki Trust, assisting newly released prisoners into employment and accommodation.
Dinnington was appointed to the Taupō District Council Community Grants Committee in 2024 to decide on applications for financial assistance.