SPECIAL HONOUR FOR A VERY SPECIAL MEMBER
Howick Little Theatre is delighted to share that our President, Laurie Mills, has been awarded a King’s Service Medal in the 2025 New Year Honours, recognising his outstanding services to theatre.
A Life Member of HLT since 1997, Laurie has been actively involved in theatre in Howick for almost 50 years. Since joining HLT in 1976, he has volunteered tirelessly across nearly every corner of the organisation, including as a mentor, creative director, actor, production co-ordinator, and with front-of-house.
Laurie has served multiple terms as President of the HLT Management Committee, including in 2000, when he led the theatre through critical business changes, and again in 2023, spearheading the successful public fundraising campaign for the theatre’s roof replacement.
As a director, Laurie has helmed 22 productions for HLT, most recently The Maltese Falcon in 2022, and will return to the director’s chair for The Cottage in 2026. He has also directed three productions for Dolphin Theatre in Onehunga.
His contribution to youth theatre is equally remarkable. Laurie directed his first production with the Howick Children’s and Youth Theatre (HCYT) in 1986 and has since directed a further 14 shows. He is a Patron of HCYT, a former President of its Management Committee, and is currently its Treasurer.
Laurie’s service has previously been recognised with a Pakuranga Rotary Club Community Service Award in 2004 and a Howick Local Board Volunteer Recognition Award in 2019. This latest honour is a richly deserved acknowledgement of decades of generosity, leadership, and unwavering commitment to our theatre community.
We congratulate Laurie on this extraordinary achievement and thank him for everything he continues to give to Howick Little Theatre.