After nearly being killed by a drunk driver about 50 years ago, Wayne Hawker has spent his life advocating for community issues and fighting to rid Christchurch of unwanted liquor stores.
At 18, Hawker and a friend were biking home from Woodford Glen raceway along Russley Rd about 11pm.
“We were doing what young people do, earning a bit of pocket money by selling raffles and programs, things like that.”
Hawker said the pair had lights on their bikes, but both were struck by a drunk driver.
“I got 27 stitches in my head, 25 in my thigh and I was in a coma for four days.”
His friend took the worst of it, going through the car’s windscreen and breaking his leg, leaving him with a permanent limp.
“I have no memory of it. The last thing I remember on the day it happened, was around 4pm when I called into the bike shop at Hornby to buy a new light for my bike. I don’t even remember the racing at Woodford Glen,” Hawker said.
His next memory was in hospital the following Tuesday afternoon, where he spent up to three weeks recovering from his injuries.
Hawker said the American driver was part of Operation Deep Freeze Base – the United States military’s regular Antarctica resupply mission based at Christchurch Airport – and admitted he had been drinking since lunchtime.
“The driver only got a $300 fine and was disqualified from driving for six months. Drink driving wasn’t treated seriously back then.
“He had an international licence so he could go back home and start driving straight away,” he said.
The 67-year-old said the incident is one of the reasons he advocates so strongly against unwanted and unnecessary liquor outlets in Christchurch. He also lost his son-in-law to alcohol abuse.
“Thousands of alcohol harm victims don’t have a voice. I’m a survivor and I have a voice.”
In June, Hawker made a tearful submission to the city council’s draft Local Alcohol Policy hearing, urging councillors to do more to protect their communities.
“I urge you to also look at making meaningful changes regarding unlicensed alcohol sales and consumption as well.”
The city council approved the LAP soon after, requiring all off-licence retailers, such as bottle stores and supermarkets, to stop selling alcohol at 9pm daily.
“They didn’t go far enough. I don’t believe these changes will make a bit of difference,” Hawker said.
He has been a strong advocate for many local community issues over the years.
“People who know me know that if something needs to be said, irrespective of what the issue is, they know I will say it.
“A number of years ago, I actually got called a rottweiler by the Christchurch Central Labour MP at the time, Tim Barnett.”
It came after Hawker had a health and safety issue with Aranui High School involving the supervision of his daughter and some of her friends while on a sports team trip.
“It took me nearly three years of backwards and forwards to the school, Ministry of Education, the Minister of Education and the Education Review Office before I got the result I was looking for” he said.
At 17, Hawker joined his first committee while playing roller hockey at the Rollerdrome roller-skating club in Sockburn.
“It’s like any organisation, you benefit from it. But if you want to help, or if you think changes need to be made or you have ideas, the best way to do it is from being inside the organisation.”
The now-retired baker’s 52-year career allowed him time for volunteer work.
“Because I generally worked nights, my days were free and you’ve got to do something.”
Hawker served 20 years on the Phillipstown School board of trustees, and volunteered for 10 years at an after-school programme run by GirlGuiding New Zealand.
“You name it, I’ve probably done it.”
“I just love seeing the enjoyment and smiles on the faces of the kids, and adult kids as well.”
Alongside his other volunteer work, Hawker’s greatest passion is netball.
For more than 25 years, he has devoted himself to the Christchurch netball community as a coach, umpire, administrator and member of the Christchurch Netball Centre’s executive and its competition sub-committee.
He discovered his passion for the sport after supporting his daughters, Carol and Marianne, from the sidelines.
After hearing Cashmere High School may not be able to take new players because they did not have enough coaches, Hawker stepped up to coach a couple of the school’s teams.
“No club (or school) should have to turn a player away if they want to play netball or any other sport.”
After his daughters moved on to club sport, Hawker held a number of positions at the Cashmere Netball Club including secretary, treasurer, club umpire co-ordinator, organiser/fundraiser and 12 years as president.
Hawker is most proud of his work to ensure anyone of any age or ability can play netball.
“If players want to play, we need to do everything in our power to let them play.”
For his decades of service to netball, he was named Netball NZ Volunteer Administrator of the Year in 2017 and also received a Local Hero award, as part of KiwiBank’s New Zealander of the Year honours.
“While it’s nice to be recognised, that’s not my prime focus.
“My greatest reward is seeing the enjoyment on the faces of young people playing netball.”
For 20 years, Hawker has served as a trustee for the Phillipstown Community Centre Charitable Trust, home to about 30 organisations based at the former Phillipstown School site after it was closed following the 2011 earthquakes.
However, last month the Ministry of Education announced it planned to dispose of the Nursery Rd site, and gave the community hub until March 31 next year to move out.
“I jumped up and down big time. And I’ll continue to jump up and down to try and do everything I can to save the site,” Hawker said.
He said the community hub was home to many organisations doing great work across the city.
“The Phillipstown hub has delivered big time for the city, and I believe it is now time for the city council and the city to deliver for Phillipstown, and save this hub.”
Hawker said he could not have done his volunteer work without his wife, Linda.
“Her support has allowed me to do what I do.”
He stepped back from regular seasonal netball to spend more time with family and to help more in New Brighton.
“Netball has given me so much. I’ve enjoyed every bit of it along the way. I’m taking a step back, but I’m not stepping away.”
With New Brighton’s regeneration in full swing, Hawker hopes to contribute to keeping up the momentum.
Despite living in Phillipstown for 45 years, he said New Brighton was his spiritual home.
“My great grandfather, George Thomas Hawker, is known as the Father of New Brighton.”
There is a plaque honouring George outside New Brighton Library.
It was his family’s history that led him to volunteer at the New Brighton Museum 15 years ago, where he is currently president.
“My great grandfather was at the birth of New Brighton. Now a whole cycle later, I want the Hawker name to be involved in the rebirth of New Brighton.”
