Maureen Robson: NZ Branch Award

Ngaio is always the first club in the Wellington Region to hold their annual Saturday night dance, with a good crowd at Ngaio Town Hall making for a great night on 4 May.

More than ten Johnsonville Club members were on the floor, enjoying their night’s dancing to music by Aileen Logie, Don McKay and Johnsonville Club member Hilary Ferral. Among them was new dancer Sandy Zang, as well as quite a few of our experienced dancers.

Maureen was the Advanced Class tutor at the 1989-1990 Summer School in Hamilton including Johnsonville dancers John Homes (top row, right), the late Jim Crawford (middle, second from right) and Loralee Hyde (bottom, right).

A very special feature of the night was a presentation of a RSCDS Branch Award by New Zealand Branch President Elaine Laidlaw to long-serving Tawa tutor Maureen Robson – for outstanding service to Scottish Country Dancing. Many congratulations Maureen.

Tawa Club secretary Désirée Patterson (also a Johnsonville Club member), reported full details of the award.

Maureen’s contribution to Scottish Country Dancing has been considerable, including:

  • Tawa tutor for 35 years, being one of the Region’s longest serving teachers
  • Serving on the Wellington Region Committee for a number of years
  • Organising Region Weekend Schools
  • Teaching Teacher Training classes on behalf of the New Zealand Branch, and mentoring numerous candidates studying for their teaching certificates
  • Always willing to provide advice, support and encouragement to others, especially newer teachers
  • Teaching at a number of New Zealand Branch Summer Schools, numerous Region classes and Weekend Schools throughout New Zealand
  • Devising many dances, some of which have been published in RSCDS Books
  • Maintaining the New Zealand Branch Memorial Book.

Maureen was acknowledged for her contribution at the Johnsonville 50 Golden Years Celebration in 2016

Maureen and husband Alan were Johnsonville Club members in years gone by, also tutoring and serving on the committee, so we too have benefited from their service to Scottish Country Dancing.

Thank you Maureen.

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