Our People

Around Nelson, off-road female friendships are born from a need for speed.

Despite managing a rare — and sometimes debilitating — illness, Natalie Robinson-Tantin is an active participant in a world she’s designed with living colour.

A Dunedin designer’s beautiful bespoke garments incorporate wild pest fur. No wonder Central Otago’s plentiful rabbits steer well clear of Jane Avery’s tiny Earnscleugh holiday cabin.

His gallery is a Gypsy Caravan, he is possibly a gypsy himself, but Blair Somerville is far from lost in the world of fantastical art.

All the limes grown by this Gisborne family have prickly personalities but that doesn’t stop them from being in great demand.

Life in Aotearoa is celebrated in a bach and matching tiny house on the Horowhenua coast.

The child of two cultures, Lyzadie Renault found that where she was born is not actually where she belongs. The journey to find her true place, however, has been unexpected.

Karl Lagerfeld said of the Jag: ‘It’s an idea of beauty with no standard.' Scott Wood, who inherited one from his dad, has come to agree.

Daily swims and barefooted adventures lured this British couple to Aotearoa. When a siren call came a second time from across the sea, they followed — and never looked back.

As part of her multimedia movement Nuku, journalist and author Qiane Matata-Sipu amplifies the voices of indigenous wāhine. Two women share their stories.

An infatuation for genus Rhododendron keeps a park budding with rare shrubs, hybridization and thousands of blooms.

Many artists spend their entire lives searching for inspiration. But for David Trubridge, the natural world has everything he could need.

Born in the Hills – Whistle & Pop

Bex Hayman is a whirlwind of vibrancy, creativity and passion. While she laughs that her pre-children singing career is currently on hold, in the last five years she has gone from strength to strength with her business Whistle & Pop.

It’s no wonder Josh Hill’s pigs produce melt-in-the-mouth cured meats, feasting as they do on a diet of Canterbury sunshine and homegrown chestnuts.

Ethical, Functional, Beautiful – Jubee & Co

Meet sisters Hannah and Rachel O’Leary of Jubee & Co who are passionately and meticulously designing children’s clothing with an emphasis on quality, durability and timelessness.

Giving Voice to Disability

The arrival of your first child is a life-changing moment for any new parent. However, when Fiona McKenzie’s daughter, Claudia, was born 24 years ago, Fiona’s life distorted into something barely recognisable. Thrust into a world of disability, Fiona, together with partner Steve Sutcliffe and later son Jasper Sutcliffe, have fought hard to provide Claudia with an ordinary life.

An Inclusive Society

Described ‘the sharp end of vulnerability’, gender-diverse students are a vital group of young people for whom we need to provide a safe educational system. Dr Chris Jansen and the team at Grow Waitaha are working to support our schools to become more inclusive.

Congratulations to Tenor Oliver Sewell

Ōtautahi Christchurch tenor Oliver Sewell has been awarded the prestigious $50,000 Dame Malvina Major Award , at what he says is a ‘critical junction’ in his singing career .

When this athlete decided to ramp up her exercise regime, she never envisaged the impact a new sport would have on her physical and mental wellbeing.

A spirited Waitomo clan have filled their lives with art and adventure, exploring every nook and cranny of their region and sharing some of its best bits with visitors.

Akaroa Salmon wins NZ Life & Leisure's Spirit of NZ Award for its three decades of high-quality food production and careful stewardship of fish stock.

These two houseplant devotees find calmness and joy from decorating their spaces with flora.

Forester by training, teacher by career, Francesco van Eerd found his true calling distilling, blending and selling perfumes with fragrant Victorian flair.

Tiny-home living isn’t just for the green-minded. According to a Christchurch dad, it’s the perfect playground for a father and son.

Self-taught builder James Brown focused on his tribal leadership role while strengthening his community to withstand the challenges of treaty negotiations.

A once-familiar face and voice across the nation, Linda Clark is now more likely to appear in court than on the television news, having swapped the world of journalism for the law.

A new mum’s dissatisfaction with disposable nappies leads to the birth of a business.

After 40-plus years of developing a large property, Michael Edwardes is beginning to recognize that he is more than okay at this gardening business.

A television and film producer moves south to be with his partner and practises semi-retirement by starting an e-bike festival.

The Law of Evolution

Twenty-one years ago, Mark Tavendale had a vision to do things differently in the law sector – an ethos that called for fresh, innovative and personalised problem solving, and prioritising the wellbeing of their team.

Toasting Success with Brew Moon

Serving up their first beer (the ever-popular Brew Moon Amberley Pale Ale) in October 2002, Belinda Gould and son Oscar McCauley reflect on 20 years of brewing. A success well worth raising a glass to!

A Field of Services – Canterbury Feed Assessment and Laboratory

Operating across the wider Canterbury region, Canterbury Feed Assessment and Laboratory has been delivering results to local farmers since 1998. We meet new owners Rory and Michelle Boleyn.

Pole vaulting requires energy, endurance, timing, technique, strength and control. According to Olympian Eliza McCartney, it’s also fun.

It took Lynda Perry 40 years to realize her dream of joining the police, but it’s been worth the wait.