Bernice (Bernie) Lepper has been awarded a Queen’s Service Medal for services to the community and education in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours List.

She said accepting the QSM recognised the work of a large number of people she had the pleasure of working alongside in numerous projects over quite a period of time. 

“By working as a team we have been able to make significant changes to both individuals and our community.” 

Bernie has been involved with Alexandra Community House since its inception in 2007. She played a pivotal role in the design and construction of the venue, which is a community hub housing 16 social services agencies, local arts and crafts and used by 150 community groups. 

She has also been manager of the Central Otago Rural Education Activities Programme (REAP) since 1998, implementing a variety of social and education initiatives to support vulnerable people in the community. 

Bernie has served for six years on REAP Aotearoa, helping grow the organisation, and mentoring education leaders throughout New Zealand. She was also a trustee of the Central Lakes Trust from 2010 to 2019.

Education had always been Bernie’s passion and she believed that through education, people could change their lives and those of their whānau.

Her work at REAP started more than 20 years ago when she was a secondary school teacher, she said, and she loved the transition into providing learning opportunities for adults. 

“By helping the adults to grow, through education, you can create generational change and my belief and passion in this hasn't deviated.” 

Bernie said the Alexandra Community House was a natural progression to ensure accommodation was provided for REAP and other agencies within the region. 

Now 10 years old, the building continued to house the main social, education and art groups within the community. 

“Right from the start, the community was behind the project and in three years we had achieved our goal with an outstanding building in the middle of Alexandra. Our community is fortunate, I believe, to have such a facility.

“Personally it has been a privilege to be able to be involved in these two sectors for so long, sectors that meet the needs of our local area.

“I hope by accepting this award I will inspire others in the future to work collaboratively and in partnership to get what they want for their whānau and community.”

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PHOTO: Supplied