Couple thought Queen’s Birthday Honours email was a scam

When Francis and Shireen Helps opened up their email and saw ‘Queen’s Birthday 2021 Honours’ in the subject line, they almost deleted the email, thinking it was a scam.

On better judgement and noting the formality of the email, Shireen decided to read further.

• Cantabrians named on Queen's Birthday Honours list

The Helps, who have dedicated 40 years of their life to conservation work, protecting kororā blue penguins and hoiho yellow-eyed penguins, and nurturing biodiversity on their home at Pōhatu Flea Bay, south-east of Akaroa, were “surprised” to learn they had both become members of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

They shared a giggle when they realised the email was legitimate.

“We didn’t expect it, we are just doing things that have to be done, like New Zealanders do,” said Francis.

“It was quite a surprise and quite a thrill,” said Shireen.

She said it was a nice confirmation what they had done over the years had been recognised.

Francis said that it was thanks for all they had done, but it also held meaning for the next generation, encouraging them to continue the work to protect the penguins.

Shireen said there are people out there just as deserving of the honours.

She said they were originally inspired by their neighbour Mark Armstrong and the predator trapping he was doing on his property.

They took up the protection call, and after years of trapping, making nest boxes, monitoring and rehabilitation, the Helps have stabilised the penguin colony at Pōhatu Flea Bay.

Pōhatu Flea Bay now has 1260 breeding pairs, the single largest little penguin population on the mainland.

The Helps believe this success is because of a collaborative effort with the other farmers and the Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust.

Shireen said one of the highlights of all their work was when a rehab penguin they had nursed back to health went away to sea and then came back to successfully go on and breed.

“We were told rehab birds hardly ever survive,” said Shireen.

“It was great to have confirmation what you’re doing makes a difference.”

The couple run Pōhatu Penguins on their property, a tourism business offering penguin and nature tours, kayaking and accommodation. This provides them with the revenue to continue their conservation and education work.

University students often frequent the bay, focusing their projects on penguin conservation.

Said Francis: “We appear to have run a farm in a sensitive ecological area with streams, native bush, and wildlife all doing quite well.”

His new concern is making sure research is conducted on how sea surface temperature change impacts the penguins and their wider ecosystem.

Francis said they will keep continuing with their conservation work for as long as they can.