Hanmer Springs Community Award recipient 'always goes the extra mile'

Hanmer Springs’s Paul Walmsley holds so many roles in the community that listing them is a challenge, says Hurunui Mayor Marie Black.

Paul received the Hanmer Springs Community Award 2024 at this week’s meeting of the Hanmer Springs Community Board. While Paul was unable to attend the Hurunui Community Awards in July, his community was full of praise this week for the extra mile that Paul always travels for his community.

“Paul is a highly motivated and active member of the Hanmer Springs community. He is best known for his role as the manager at the Hanmer Springs Health Centre. He works tirelessly to ensure we have doctors, nurses and health professionals to serve the needs of our community,” says Mayor Black.

“Paul is part of the Community Trust and actively supports the Food Bank in Hanmer.

“He supports Hurunui Civil Defence and worked with them to ensure we had communications and emergency plans during the recent scheduled power outages. He has worked with cell phone companies and medically-compromised residents in need of emergency electricity.”

Paul was also a St John Volunteer First Responder from 2018 until earlier this year.

“During the Covid-19 pandemic, Paul played a massive role in making vaccines available at clinics and mobile clinics in Hanmer Springs, making our area one of the safest.

“Last but no means least, Paul has been the lead in getting a community car for Hanmer Springs. This is an amazing feat, made all the more sustainable by securing long-term funding for the car.

“Paul works tirelessly and discretely to ensure the facilities in Hanmer are the best they can possibly be,” says Mayor Black.