Susan Hou has always done a lot of community work and has never looked for recognition for it, but her contribution has been recognised with a Queen's Service Medal.
"I'm really surprised. It's an honour to get it. I did what I did not really looking to get something," she said.
Mrs Hou (70) has been a pillar of Dunedin's Chinese community for more than 40 years, especially when it comes to helping overcome language barriers.
"I've been really happy to help the community."
She was an interpreter for many of Dunedin's services, including Dunedin Hospital and police, the traffic department and the Department of Immigration's Otago-Southland branch.
When she came to New Zealand in 1965 a lot of "old Chinese" then could not speak English, just Cantonese, so there were a lot of problems, she said.
"I visited, helped them talk to their doctor or lawyer. Just stood in the middle to help them out."
She and her husband had helped re-start the Dunedin Chinese Presbyterian Church, where she helped interpret and was a key organiser of the church's fundraising and women's fellowship.
Mrs Hou was also a trustee of the Dunedin Chinese Culture and Language School, had served on the executive of the New Zealand Chinese Association Otago-Southland branch and helped new immigrants and students whenever she could.
