They break the mould, fight for a better future and, when they are told no, make it happen anyway.
The late Pat Ellison was one of those people, and now she has been recognised accordingly.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand recently introduced the Pat Ellison Memorial Trophy, presented to the top open female surf team at the national championships.
East End were the inaugural recipients.
Described as a trailblazer, Ellison, who died in 2020, first became involved in surf lifesaving during World War 2.
But when the men returned from war, women were told their services were no longer required by the Dunedin clubs and Ellison decided to do something about it.
She founded a new club, Moana Rua, in 1958 to support the women displaced from St Clair and St Kilda, and helped move Moana Rua from Middle Beach to Warrington, when the beach was washed away.
She was made a life member of Moana Rua and what became the Warrington Surf Life Saving Club, as well as the Otago Surf Lifesaving Association.
Ellison was also the first female president of the Otago association and coached both Otago men’s and women’s teams.
Nationally, Ellison left her mark.
She was the assistant manager for the first New Zealand women’s surf lifesaving tour to Sri Lanka in 1974 and was awarded a New Zealand service award and distinguished service award.
She was the first female board member of Surf Life Saving New Zealand — half of the national board are women today — and in 1976 she was awarded an MBE for her services.
Ellison was made a life member of the national association in 1980, and in 1992, alongside Muriel Brown, she was inducted into the national surf lifesaving hall of fame.
She was also a foundation member, and past president, of the Ladies 21 Club, an organisation representing women involved in surf lifesaving for 21 years.
