Noel Kay awarded New Zealand Order of Merit

Mr Noel James Inglis Kay has been awarded Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (Members MNZM) for services to surf lifesaving.

Mr Noel Kay has been active with Surf Lifesaving for 63 years at Club, Regional, National and International levels, Joining Eastern United at Browns Bay in 1959.

Mr Kay became a Foundation member of the United North Piha Lifeguard Service in 1973 and remains a current member.

On a voluntary basis, he has held almost all Club positions over those years. He has sourced more than $1 million in funding for the club, since his first application in 1989. He is still a Club coach, has been an Auckland selector and manager from the 1980s through to 2002.

He has run three Auckland Development squads and coached a Team to California in 1989. He coached teams from United, Mairangi Bay and Orewa Surf Lifesaving Clubs to win New Zealand National Titles. He coached Auckland representative teams for more than 10 years.

He was a New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Board member from 1992 to 1994 as a Director of Competition and Coaching and on the Coaching Advisory panel. He was a representative to Surf Lifesaving Australia. He has been an Event Judge for Northern and New Zealand Surf for 44 years.

Mr Kay organised a Surf Canoe Classic Training Event for a number of years, which grew significantly.