It was a surprised Heather who awarded her PHF at the welcoming function of the Bannockburn Arts - Across the Bridge Arts School.

 

It has taken a while to arrange an appropriate time to present this award to Heather but past chair of the PHF committee, Pam Broadhead, grabbed this opportunity to surprise Heather on Monday night. 

 

In presenting the award Pam said"with a big heart and a strong sense of community Heather epitomises the essence of community service". Heathers love and passion for community arts, her leadership of the Cromwell & Districts Arts Council as chair for 16 years, her involvement with'Across the Bridge' Bannockburn Arts Festival, membership of the Bannockburn Community Centre committee, a key organiser of Central Otago's Trashion Show, support of the Cromwell Farmers' and Craft Market and the Cromwell Wine & Food Festival.

 

In 1989 Heather and her then-husband John Olssen, bought land along Felton Road and established Olssens of Bannockburn – the first vineyard in the Cromwell basin. (Now Terra Sancta)

Along with the vines, they planted 8500 trees, shrubs and grasses, established three ponds, and hosted a scarecrow competition, many outdoor concerts and an annual sculpture exhibition.

Heather became the Central Otago Winegrowers Association president, and in 2009 she received an award for ‘Outstanding Service to the Central Otago Wine Industry’. She was the first woman and only the fourth recipient of this award, joining a who’s who of Central Otago wine heritage – Alan Brady, Steve Green and Rolfe Mills.

 

Other awards in recent years have been the 2017 Community Service Award form CODC; a 2018 New Zealander of the Year Award nomination; the 2020 Arts on Tour Annual Regional Arts Touring Award for ‘Best Individual Community Presenter’.

 

Heather’s gifts for bringing people together and encouraging and creating opportunities for others—coupled with her ideas and creativity—have led to great things happening in her community.

Forward-thinking, she constantly strives to see how something can be done better and how best to involve people and resources. Heather is a true community champion, committed to making Central Otago a better place.