Founder's Day 2023

Congratulations to our new Life Members and Companions who were acknowledged for their service and dedication to the Foundation at this year’s Founders’ Day ceremony on 22 May.

New Life Members and Companions of The Selwyn Foundation honoured on Founders’ Day

A service of thanksgiving at Selwyn Village’s Chapel of Christ the King marked 69 years of Selwyn’s enduring Mission to serve ageing people and particularly those in great need. Founders’ Day is celebrated annually on this date, when we pay tribute to the visionaries of Selwyn Village which opened on 22 May 1954 and bring to mind all those who have shaped and enriched the development of our organisation through the ages, so that they may be remembered long into the future.

In celebrating this anniversary, we also 

continued our tradition of presenting awards to those who have given so generously of their

skills and talents to Selwyn over the years, or to those who have provided leadership in their outreach to older people in the wider community.

As we were unable to hold a Founders’ Day ceremony last year due to the heightened COVID-19 risk, this year we honoured our new Life Members and Companions from both 2023 and 2022 (and also made a belated presentation from 2021).

Our new Life Members are former Chief Executive Officer Garry Smith (who retired in 2022 after ten years in the role) and former Board members Peter Macaulay, Dr Peter Huggard and Helen Melrose. Life Members are appointed by The Selwyn Foundation Board in recognition of outstanding service to the Foundation and the wider Selwyn community. They are entitled to vote on any matter or question at any Annual Meeting or Extraordinary Meeting of the Foundation.

Our new Companions are Matthew Hodgson (physiotherapist at Selwyn Village), Dawn Miners (House Lead at Selwyn Village’s Ivan Ward care centre) and Julianna Leach (caregiver at the village’s Sarah Selwyn care home) – all of whom have celebrated 30 years-plus of providing outstanding service to our residents. The category of ‘Companion of The Selwyn Foundation’ recognises those who have been generous to the Foundation in their spiritual guidance, leadership or resources of time and expertise, or for their significant donation or close association with Selwyn and our community.

We were also able to belatedly present Sir Chris Farrelly with his Companion award (Sir Chris was originally awarded in 2021). Sir Chris was honoured for his work for older people who are vulnerable in his former capacity as Auckland City Missioner and for his close association with The Selwyn Foundation and our aims and ideals.

Chair of The Selwyn Foundation, Hon David Cunliffe, said: ‘We would like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to all our new Life Members and Companions for their distinguished service, leadership and contribution over many years to Selwyn and in support of our residents and older people in New Zealand.’

The new Life Members and Companions were presented with a certificate and bronze commemorative medals that were specially commissioned for Founders’ Day, depicting the images of Bishop and Sarah Selwyn and featuring the inscription: ‘For service of Heart, Hand and Mind’ – a sentiment that was often used by Bishop Selwyn in his sermons and speeches.