Wānaka resident Carol Angland has been awarded the King’s Service Medal for services to the community and theatre in the New Year Honours list.

While Carol and her husband have lived in Wānaka since 2015, she actively served her South Canterbury community for more than 50 years.

Carol has been a volunteer member of the South Canterbury Drama League (SCDL) for 45 years, involved onstage, backstage, in directing plays, and with management. 

A past chair of the repertory section, she was president of the SCDL from 2002 to 2005, overseeing major property refurbishments. 

She has written and directed several plays for the SCDL, most recently ‘Captain Cain’ in 2023, which received local and national acclaim. Carol is a life member of both repertory and the SCDL. 

In 2011 she received a Community Service Award from Arthritis New Zealand for 15 years of voluntary service organising door-to-door and street collections for Arthritis South Canterbury. 

She is also a life member of Hospice South Canterbury. A volunteer since 1996, her roles have included video producer, home carer, retail assistant, and biographer recording patients’ life stories for their families.

She was a co-organiser of successful South Canterbury Wine and Food Festivals, a major fundraiser for Hospice. She wrote ‘Loving Care’, the history of the first 25 years of Hospice South Canterbury.

Carol is also the author of the published histories of Presbyterian Support South Canterbury, Tennis South Canterbury and The Mid and South Canterbury Community Trust.

“We have both enjoyed so much that Wānaka has to offer,” she told the Wānaka App. 

“Keeping fit is a priority through dance, walking netball and gym classes.”

Carol and her husband have also been involved with the Buddy programme, Meals on Wheels, and recently they joined the Rotary Club of Wānaka.

Carol is also a home cook for Food for Love, which she described as “an amazing charity”. 

PHOTO: Supplied