A Wakefield Bowling Club stalwart who prefers to stay out of the spotlight has earned national recognition for more than a decade of quiet service.
Trevor Woodbury has placed second at the Clubs New Zealand awards, which celebrate excellence across nearly 300 clubs nationwide and recognise the vital role community clubs play in bringing people together and supporting local initiatives.
The award reflects Trevor’s long-standing dedication to the Wakefield Bowling Club, where he and his wife Lesley have been members since 2010, with his behind-the-scenes work making a lasting impact.
What began as a simple idea shared over a beer in about 2014 has grown into a significant fundraising effort, with Trevor collecting, sorting and selling scrap metal to raise money for the club.
More than a decade later, the initiative has generated more than $75,000 in donations, a remarkable achievement for a small rural club. The funds have paid for equipment purchases and improvements.
Trevor says the club asked if it was OK to nominate him for the Clubs New Zealand award and he initially said no, before being talked into it. He was told he would not have to go anywhere or do anything, then found himself on a plane to Palmerston North.
He says being among much larger North Island clubs was humbling and highlighted the value of a small club.
“It’s just a nice little group,” he says of Wakefield Bowling Club.
Trevor says his fundraising is simply his contribution so the club can get what it needs. He describes the club as a great team where everyone helps in different ways, from volunteering at the bar to cleaning, grounds work and maintenance.
Because he has been self-employed all his life, Trevor says he does not enjoy committee work, preferring to contribute in practical ways.
“We’ve all got different interests, and it all comes together,” he says, adding that he enjoys doing rather than talking.
Trevor’s support extends well beyond fundraising. After the severe Wakefield floods in 2025 left the club’s green buried under tonnes of silt, he played a key role in the clean-up, donating his time and machinery to help restore the grounds.
The Clubs New Zealand awards were held in New Plymouth at the end of March, with Trevor nominated in the Spirit of Club Award category. He says the event was a great opportunity to meet people from other organisations and enjoy the entertainment, including a country music band.
He also credits Rae Baigent from Wakefield Bowling Club for doing a great job pulling together the information for his nomination.
Trevor says, he enjoys working and does not mind whether it is a weekday or weekend. Although he once thought bowls were for “old buggers”, he now says he thoroughly enjoys being involved.
Now 81, Trevor lives on a small lifestyle block in Belgrove where he has space to sort scrap metal. He says Sims Metals in Pascoe Street have been supportive and have helped make the fundraising possible.
Trevor does not advertise his efforts and relies entirely on word of mouth. He has no cellphone or social media and says he is happy living a simpler life, focused on staying active and giving back to his community.
For a small club, his efforts have made a real and lasting difference, and fellow members say his national recognition is richly deserved.
