2026 Honours List

Dear all, 

It’s wonderful to have you here. A warm welcome to this historic yet intimate St. George’s Church, and of course, a special welcome to those in the front row—our honorees. We also welcome those watching live or later via Kerkdienstgemist; we’re glad you can join us in this way. 

Today, on this special day of the annual awards ceremony—formally known as the General Occasion—I have the honor, on behalf of His Majesty the King, to present awards to five residents of the municipality of Aalten in recognition of their outstanding dedication and service to our community.

On such a special day, we strive to make it a special day for the honorees. Together with Suzan Westerveld, my invaluable assistant for cabinet affairs, I surprised these people at home this morning, the first one as early as around eight o’clock. A surprise, though for some it may have felt more like a raid. We enjoyed ourselves, but above all, we saw you beaming and enjoying yourselves, along with the small group of people who were also in on the secret and involved in the presentation. 

For us, there’s always a bit of suspense—would we meet you at your home? Fortunately, as is usually the case, everything went smoothly, and we met at the agreed-upon location. For you, that early announcement did give you a chance to collect your thoughts and prepare for this gathering, freshen up a bit, and dress as festively as you wanted. It was a bit of a shock, we noticed. We managed to get you to the ceremony on time; we’re all here—let the party begin.

As far as I know, this is the first time we’re holding this ceremony in this church in Bredevoort. Usually, we check beforehand where most of the honorees—a fancy word for those being recognized today—are from and/or where they do their volunteer work. And this year, we once again had a honoree from Bredevoort, which is why we’ve gathered here today. And since many of you are likely visiting this church for the first time in your lives, it might be nice to share a bit about this church. After all, I am also the council member responsible for Culture, Heritage, and Tourism. 

This church is dedicated toSaint George, a fourth-century martyr who, like Saint Nicholas, was born in Turkey, but this Roman soldier performed his heroic deed in Libya. After the Crusades, he became famous throughout Europe; you’ll find him as Giorgio, Göran, Georg, George, Jorge, Jerzy, and Jordi. He is the patron saint of Scouting, of the Burghers of Bredevoort, and also of various countries and cities, such as England. Interestingly, he is also recognized in the Islamic world; he is said to be buried in Israel. The spire here therefore has no weather vane; instead, it is adorned by Saint George. Yesterday was his name day, and this award ceremony fits in nicely with that. You may not be saints, scouts, or brave dragon slayers, but you are indeed heroes of service. Heroes of our participatory democracy, active citizens. 

The oldest foundations of this church date back to 1316. The building likely served as a chapel for the nearby Bredevoort Castle. After Prince Maurits conquered Bredevoort in 1597, the fortified town was plundered by mercenaries and the church was completely destroyed. The church as we know it was therefore never used by Catholics but was immediately converted for Protestant worship, although the oldest church bell is still of Roman Catholic origin. In 1646, just before the end of the Eighty Years’ War,lightning struck thecastle’spowder tower. The ensuing explosion damaged countless buildings in the surrounding area. The castle was reduced to ruins, and the church also sustained significant damage. Forty people were killed. Eleven were buried in the choir. The church was rebuilt, though somewhat smaller than its predecessor. 

But back to today. Back to today’s heroes. Five residents of our municipality are receiving royal honors today for their volunteer work on behalf of our community. Fortunately, we live in a democracy, and a democracy presupposes that people behave as citizens who know and feel responsible for the community of which they are a part, but which they also help shape themselves. We have lost sight of that realization somewhat in recent decades; all kinds of acts of kindness and compassion have now been institutionalized and codified into a right to a benefit or a payment. Yet the neighborliness we are so proud of assumes that we are there for one another, that we are willing to share, that we can call on our neighbors, and that we realize we, too, may be called upon. This way of thinking from the perspective of the community—from the perspective of “we”—is at odds with the individualism of the modern mindset. Since the pandemic, for example, many more people have been buried in small circles, whereas traditionally this was done much more by the community, with neighbors being called upon. The same applies to wedding anniversaries, which are also increasingly celebrated in private circles. The Achterhoek may not be leading this trend, but we are also affected by it. Our community organizations are also struggling to find members who are not just looking to take, but are also willing to give. Many members are happy to help out with a small task now and then, but many are no longer willing to take on a role or responsibility that entails long-term commitments and obligations. Many people now volunteer because it helps them grow and because it looks good on their resume. Volunteering is thus no longer about service; self-interest and personal enjoyment have become more important. You can also see this in the rise of individual sports and exercise—freedom and fun, running or going to the gym on your own or with a few friends, whenever it suits you and without having to give anything back in return. We don’t need to point fingers at anyone; this virus infects us all. But does it make us happier? Does it make our community stronger? Does it increase our well-being? I very much doubt it—no, actually, I’m quite certain it doesn’t make us happier. And that’s why it’s so wonderful to highlight five residents of Aalten today who, for years, have taken responsibility for our community as active citizens. Not because it came easily to them or because it was always fun and easy, but because they felt a sense of responsibility. And that is why I am a fan of that perhaps somewhat old-fashioned, almost feudal, yet oh-so-just system of royal honors for social commitment and active citizenship. 

Citizens nominate a fellow citizen themselves, must provide detailed justification and explanation, and the nomination is then forwarded via the mayor and the King’s Commissioner to the Chapter of Civil Orders, after which a minister reviews it before the King, as Grand Master of the Chapter, finally signs it. You are not honored just like that; the criterion is that “one has devoted considerable time to the benefit of society or has encouraged others to do so.”

I will now proceed with the actual ceremony. You are already seated in the correct order; when it is your turn, I would ask you to stand up so that everyone can see you clearly—after all, the spotlight is on you this morning. I will begin with our honoree from Bredevoort, Ans Laarman-Meulenbeek.

Ans Laarman has been an active and dedicated member of the Bredevoort community since at least the beginning of this century. She has managed to balance this with Health her family and her paid work. She served as secretary for the Protestant Congregation of Bredevoort and, for the past fifteen years, as a parish worker, maintaining contact with members and providing them with support and comfort during difficult times. She is also an active member of the Bredevoort City Choir, where she served for some time as chairperson and later as secretary; even now, she regularly lends a helping hand. Finally, for the past twelve years, she has served as secretary of the local tourist office. An important institution in our fortified town. There, she coordinates the operations surrounding the office’s opening hours and also serves as the point of contact for the many volunteers. She also contributed to the relatively recent renovation and upgrade of the tourist office. Ans is not someone who seeks the limelight; she is a quiet force behind the scenes, always willing to go the extra mile and to take on the less desirable shifts at the tourist office. But today we are bringing her forward and putting her in the spotlight. It is therefore my great pleasure to inform you that His Majesty has seen fit to appoint you, Johanna Antoinette Hendrina Laarman-Meulenbeek, as a member of the Order of Orange-Nassau.

From Bredevoort, we head southwest and end up in the Zeheldenbuurt neighborhood at Evert Lensink’s place. Evert Lensink, also known in our village as the “clog man” from Welkoop, has been active in and for our community in countless ways throughout his adult life. A versatile man, an almost restless doer—sitting still is not one of his core qualities, so to speak. In De Haart, he has been involved for sixty years with the theater association known for its large-scale open-air plays. Evert not only acts but is also busy organizing the performances. For fifty years, he has been active within our soccer club, AZSV. He has dedicated himself to both the youth and women’s teams, and this leading club is still reaping the benefits of his efforts. Just like his maintenance work on the grounds. For forty years, he has also been a busy bee within the Aalten branch of the Dutch Beekeepers’ Association. He is also active within the Aalten Wildlife Management Unit; many will have met him at the Information Van that the WBW sets up at numerous events. For the Wenninkmolen Foundation in Lintelo, he recently took on the role of treasurer; he had already served as treasurer for the Bowling Club for twelve years; at the Hoogstambrigade in Winterswijk, they know him as a valued asset for maintenance work; and finally, he also contributes to the training and exams at the Hunting Dog Training Center in the Oost-Achterhoek. All in all, an impressive body of volunteer work—you almost wonder, what didn’t he do? And where on earth did he find the time? After all, there were only 24 hours in a day for him too! It is therefore my great pleasure to inform you that His Majesty has seen fit to appoint you, Evert Lensink, as a member of the Order of Orange-Nassau.

Further south, but still in Aalten, we arrive in the neighborhood of the poets, specifically at the home of Henriëtte Klein Entink-van Loon. Henriëtte is primarily active within and on behalf of the Protestant Congregation of Aalten. Since 1998, she has been performing various pastoral duties as a visiting minister, but she also serves coffee after church services and is involved in organizing the annual Start Sunday. In addition to Health her husband, she was also a devoted caregiver for her mother for many years. But I believe the volunteer work for which she has now been nominated lies primarily in her service with the Interdenominational Camp Committee of the Achterhoek. For decades, the joint diaconates have been organizing vacation weeks for people who, without Health supervision, would otherwise be unable to go on vacation. Every year, more than a hundred residents of the Achterhoek enjoy a vacation, and dozens of volunteers provide the supervision. A stalwart in this effort is Henriëtte Klein Entink; she has been involved for forty years. She is a cheerful, energetic, but above all caring volunteer who pays close attention to the people around her; nothing is ever too much for her. And that is why I am delighted to inform you, Henriëtte Anna Maria Klein Entink-van Loon, that His Majesty the King has been pleased to appoint you as a Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau.

We take Dinxperlosestraatweg , via Aaltenseweg at Theo Aaldering’s place. I visited him this morning at the beautiful FC Dinxperlo complex, and fortunately he was able to be there—just two weeks ago he was still in the hospital. It’s great that you were able to join us here in Bredevoort this morning. For decades, Theo Aaldering has been a pillar of Dinxperlo soccer. First as a youth leader, coach, and referee, and later as a board member and, in that capacity, a member of various committees. As is the case in many places across the country, there is often fierce rivalry between soccer clubs from the same town, and in Dinxperlo, the blues and greens were no exception. Theo had long been convinced of the benefits of a merger between the clubs DZSV and SV Dinxperlo, but it took a great deal of effort before the decision was finalized and FC Dinxperlo was formed, along with a new clubhouse. Theo contributed greatly to this; he had to talk his head off, which is why he was awarded the Medal of Honor from the municipality of Aalten in 2022. And in the meantime, almost everyone is happy with the merger, and the first team even won the championship last season. Through FC Dinxperlo, Theo also volunteers every year at the Farm & Country Fair; the compensation the organization pays for this also benefits the club. But Theo is active outside the world of soccer as well. He has been dedicated to Alzheimer Nederland for quite some time, and he also drives the Electrocar around Dinxperlo and the surrounding area to transport the elderly and people with disabilities from A to B. It is therefore my great pleasure to inform you that His Majesty has seen fit to appoint you, Theodorus Henricus Johannes Aaldering, as a member of the Order of Orange-Nassau.

Finally, we arrive at Henk Veerbeek’s home on Beggelderveldweg. This is familiar territory for me, because a few years ago I had the honor of presenting his wife with a royal decoration, and so we also showed up unexpectedly at her doorstep. Many will know Henk primarily as a member of the VVNF; for sixteen years, he served as a board member of this Orange Association, which has nearly 6,000 members. It’s the largest in the country, so there’s a lot involved. Even after stepping down in 2022 and being named an Honorary Member, he remained active. Upon his retirement, Henk wanted to stave off boredom, so he sought out new forms of volunteer work to throw himself into. He found it at the Protestant congregation in Dinxperlo, where he took on all sorts of tasks related to management and maintenance. He also coordinates the annual collection for the Foundation for the Disabled Child. And finally, for several years now, he has been active as a board member of the Dinxper PCOB branch. In numerous areas, Henk thus makes a fantastic contribution to the well-being of the Dinxper community; Henk is an active citizen of whom you would like to have a few more. It is therefore my great pleasure to inform you that His Majesty has seen fit to appoint you, Hendrik Marinus Veerbeek, as a member of the Order of Orange-Nassau.

And so we are almost at the end of this meeting. It is customary to conclude the meeting by singing our national anthem.

After that, we’ll have a quick photo op, and finally, you’ll have a chance to congratulate them. I’d like to thank you all for coming, and to the honorees: enjoy this festive day and let yourselves be pampered.