FOR SERVICES TO TEXTILE CRAFTS AND THE COMMUNITY
Mrs Shirley Frew established the Matamata Patchwork Quilting group in 1986, which continues to this day.
Mrs Frew was inaugural President of the group, which began with 15 members and has since grown to more than 60 members.
She taught clothing at textiles at Matamata College for 39 years. She was the wardrobe mistress in every school production, spending hundreds of hours each year creating outfits and dresses for the children. She facilitated her students to compete in the National Fieldays AgArtWear Competition, who earned a number of awards over 10 years. She has taught a patching and quilting night class at Matamata College for more than 30 years. She contributed to the tapestry created by New Zealand embroiderers donated to the Globe Theatre in London and to the ‘United in Memory’ quilt commemorating the victims of the 11 September 2001 terror attacks. She has volunteered as a member of Rotary Inner Wheel, crafted breast cancer cushions, and delivers Meals on Wheels. She has volunteered for the Pohlen Hospital for the past nine years, helping to organise fundraising events and often spending several nights a week assisting patients and teaching crafts. Mrs Frew has been a committee member of the Matamata Society of Arts since 2008 and has helped organise numerous events and exhibitions.