Good Sorts - Lorraine Cousins
Volunteering has been a journey of self-discovery, says Lorraine Cousins (64). “I’ve learned a lot about myself and who I am. You learn a lot more than just what you are teaching [when volunteering].”
Lorraine’s life of service began in childhood, accompanying her mum, Eleanor White, and other church members on Anglican Social Service activities. “Accept people for who they are. Everyone has a story,” Lorraine remembers her mother saying. “She didn’t just say it, she showed it, too. I’ve seen her stick up for people who were being threatened, and she would bring in the foster children so that they had somewhere to go in the holidays.”
Born in Timaru to English parents, Lorraine always wanted to travel so in 1981 she spent 6 months visiting Australia, England, Europe, Mauritius and South Africa. It was during her 3-week stay at her uncle’s home in Durban, South Africa, that the Springbok rugby tour took place in NZ. “I was hearing it all on the news,” Lorraine recalls.
Soon after returning to NZ, Lorraine moved to Waimate and married the late Donald King in 1982. They had two children, Amelia and Paul, before separation led Lorraine to become a single parent.
It was son Paul’s enthusiasm to join Boys Brigade in the early 1990s that served as the catalyst for Lorraine’s 30+ years of service in the organisation.
Walking Paul in on his first day, Lorraine was immediately asked if she would like to become leader of the Anchor Boys section. She surprised herself by accepting the challenge and spent the rest of that year learning all she could from leader Lorraine Bateman, before taking over the role the following year.
Just a few years later, the Waimate Boys Brigade nearly closed due to a lack of leaders. Although she felt out of her depth, Lorraine had a conviction – “I couldn’t let those boys down.”
She took on the role of Captain and led the Boys Brigade without the support of any section leaders, relying solely on parent help. After leading the Anchor Boys section, Lorraine would walk back home before returning later in the evening, to lead the amalgamated Team and Company sections. She continued this committed effort until more leaders eventually came onboard.
During her time as Captain, Lorraine helped guide her son Paul to achieve the Queen’s Award and, with the assistance of leader Paul Roberts, supported Micah Roberts and Regan Beazley in achieving the King’s Award. The King’s Award, formerly known as the Queen’s Award, is the organisation’s highest accolade.
Lorraine retired from her captaincy in April 2023 for health reasons, undergoing a heart operation in December that year.
The Waimate Boys Brigade closed in 2024 due to lack of members but Lorraine has hope that there will be enough interest to restart it again one day. Around the same time as her introduction to Boys Brigade, Lorraine’s friend and mentor Jean White invited her to help facilitate the Bible in Schools initiative.
Over the past three decades, Lorraine has regularly led Bible classes across a total of 6 schools throughout the Waimate district and this is something she continues to enjoy.
“It’s God’s Word being shared and spoken but presented in such a way that it talks to the children,” she explains.
Lorraine has also taught Sunday School at Waimate’s Knox Presbyterian and Assemblies of God churches, as well as Saint Phillip’s in Timaru. Over the years, Lorraine has served on the Atwill Park committee and been the secretary for both the Waimate Diabetes Society and Waimate Women Aglow.
Ministering to people has not only been Lorraine’s voluntary passion but also her vocation as a nurse. Having worked in the Waimate Hospital during her early years in the district, she also cared for people through her roles in Access Home Health and Lister Home, before compounding health issues forced her to step away from nursing in 2003 and focus on her own wellbeing.
In 2009, Lorraine married Kevin Cousins, whose behind-the-scenes support was crucial in sustaining her long-running efforts with the Boys Brigade. Her voluntary service to the community was acknowledged with a Waimate Civic Award in 2016.
Reflecting on how she has been able to commit herself to volunteering throughout her busy years as a nurse and single parent, Lorraine says that she has felt enabled by her faith. “In God you can do anything. If I didn’t have Him, I would never have done what I have done.”
She encourages anyone who thinks volunteering might be out of their depth to do it anyway, because you learn as you go. Perseverance is key, Lorraine maintains. “Don’t give up.”
By Olivia Ball