Leadership Awards 2012: Daphne Christopher

To say Daphne Christophers is modest about her achievements is an understatement.

Mrs Christophers was one of 21 local people who were honoured with a Rotorua Community Leadership award at a special ceremony for their work in the community.

The awards were created by Rotorua Mayor Kevin Winters to celebrate the Sir Peter Blake Trust leadership week.

Mrs Christophers was honoured for her contributions to music - she has taken a leadership role in accompanying and teaching many hundreds of budding musicians over her lifetime.

She has also offered her time to school productions, musical theatre, citizenship ceremonies, funerals, weddings, church and Anzac Day services and fundraising concerts.

Despite a lifetime of commitment to Rotorua's music, including working closely with New Zealand Aria and establishing Rotorua's Yamaha Music School as one of the best music schools in the country, she was surprised to receive the award.

"These things are very humbling. You realise things you enjoying doing are being recognised," Mrs Christophers said.

She was never truly conscious of her community work, she said - rather she did it because she was passionate about the role music plays in the community.

"Arts in the community mould it, it brings [the community] together.

"Rotorua is a lucky city. We have so much music."

It is fitting that Mrs Christophers was acknowledged for her work, because after 60 years in the Rotorua community, the pianist recently moved to Tauranga to be closer to family.

She said she was enjoying the change, although she visited Rotorua frequently for the music and arts community.

"I'll always miss Rotorua."

It was difficult for Mrs Christophers to put a definitive number on the hours she has spent working within the community - she says she saw opportunities to help and just got involved. "My husband used to say 'you can never say no'."

She advised anyone who wanted to get involved in their community to find something they loved to do, and ask to be a part of it - instead of waiting to be asked.

"You're not really obliged to, but I think if you are able to you should do things in the community.

"What you put into it, you get out."