25 July 2009

MEDIA RELEASE – Huge Personal Contribution Recognised by Special Award

A lifelong commitment to helping others was recognised when Annie Coates, a well-known Wellingtonian, was recognised at the Prime Minister’s Social Hero Awards presentation dinner held in Auckland on Friday 24 July.

The Robin Hood Foundation’s annual Social Heroes Awards recognise businesses that support charities through longstanding partnerships. Amongst this year’s winners, which included big corporate players such as Genesis and Heinz Watties, was a Special Award recognising Annie Coates’ outstanding contribution to refugees in particular.

Annie Coates, who owns and runs the Golden Lotus, a Thai restaurant in Wellington’s Brooklyn, has given many refugees and migrants resettling in New Zealand a helping hand. She rather reluctantly inherited the Golden Lotus when the owner was forced to return to Thailand seven years ago for personal reasons. Annie, who had never run a restaurant or a business before, agreed to help her out until she came back, but as fate would have it, the owner never returned.

Annie was nominated by ChangeMakers Refugee Forum for her tireless work in supporting refugees forced to flee Myanmar to resettle here. She was a migrant from Myanmar herself, coming to New Zealand in 1983 to marry Peter Coates, a New Zealander she met while he was holidaying in Myanmar. Once back in New Zealand, he sent her a postcard every Friday for 18 months, eventually returning to ask for her hand in marriage.

Annie has kept the Golden Lotus restaurant afloat because she has seen it as an opportunity to train and mentor those needing a helping hand. Many have started out under her watchful eye, learning to wait on tables, prepare food or work in the kitchen. They have all gone on to other jobs as a direct result of the work experience they gained through Annie. Others worked for her in order to pay their university course fees and were able to avoid crippling debt, thanks to her support.

In the past Annie has closed the Golden Lotus on Monday nights so that community groups could hold fundraising dinners. Over $12,000 was raised to help the survivors of the cyclone that battered Myanmar last year. The Golden Lotus has also become a centre for social events for refugees from Myanmar now living in the Wellington Region and Palmerston North. Annie provides enormous support to the Burmese community living in the greater Wellington region, many who are without the support of their immediate or extended families. She is nana, aunty and mum to many families!

ChangeMakers Executive Chair Adam Awad is delighted that Annie received the Award. “We think Annie Coates is a superhero and the fact that she has been recognised in this way is important, not just for her but for the many people who have been helped by her. The resettlement process can be long and difficult for many refugees and it is people like Annie who make a huge difference to successful resettlement.”

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