HOPE Foundation Newsletter November 2009
In the six months since the publication of our last newsletter, the Foundation has experienced both lows and highs. The resignation due to ill health and then the death of our Executive Officer, Jan Bowman MNZM in June was a huge blow.
Jan had been our EO for five years, a period in which she made a huge contribution to the Foundation. (See separate column.) Jan would have been one of the most capable and innovative people I know. She was passionate about the Foundation’s objectives. Thank you Jan!
Professor David Richmond,
Inaugural Professor of Geriatric Medicine,
The University of Auckland.
Founder and Chair of The Foundation
We are very fortunate to have been able to make a quick appointment to Jan’s position. Mrs Eleanor Spencer has, by virtue of her training, experience and interests been able to step in with minimum disruption to the Foundation’s affairs. For this we are truly thankful. Eleanor assisted us on a temporary basis for three months and was then appointed to the position in August. Welcome Eleanor!
Organisations like people need ‘highs’ to balance out the ‘lows’ that inevitably afflict us. The Foundation’s highest point was the August 30th release of a report on a major research project we had commissioned from the Nielsen Company, NZ’s top public polling agency. Approximately 70 people attended the event, a breakfast seminar at the Novotel Ellerslie, to hear Kate Terry of Nielsen present the major findings. Entitled: New Insights into the Experienced Generations the research was an attempt to discover characteristics of the oldest segment of N.Z. society that would enable business and local government to provide more relevant services and enable older people to benefit from such. (More details inside). The report attracted publicity in the press and on radio. Jan had put a huge effort into getting the project up and running: it was a pity she wasn’t there to share in the dénouement. We dedicated the report to her anyway. To discover other ‘highs’, read on….
David E. Richmond
You can also help by
- Spreading the word about what we do / share this newsletter
- Donating your time to the Friends Supporters to help with fundraising and committee work
- Encouraging your children and grandchildren to invest in their futures by donating time and money (a baby girl born today has a 1 in 3 chance of living to 100 , a boy 1 in 4 and is likely to be fitter and healthier–think about the implications of that)
- Consider a bequest