Ryman Times Australia Autumn 18

RT

Ryman Times Australian Edition

Grand entrance for Nellie Melba village

Autumn 2018

Ryman family rallies for cyclone relief

Running for Geoff's life

Roaring start to Lions season

A note from Gordy Hello and welcome to your latest edition of the Ryman Times.

As usual we have an inspiring collection of stories from around the world of Ryman – but the story and picture of 100-year-old Dorothy West parasailing takes the cake as far as I’m concerned.

Dorothy and her friends certainly are inspirational, proving that life is not a dress rehearsal – you’ve got to give everything a go.

Making sure that all our residents are safe and well cared for – when they are not out parasailing – is what Ryman is all about. We’ve always regarded it as an absolute privilege to care for our residents and it is a responsibility we do not take lightly.

In recent years our systems have been put to the test many times.

About two years ago we made the decision to install our own emergency generators permanently on site, rather than depend on outside help from hire companies during blackouts.

That decision has proved to be a wise one. Since we installed the generators they have been used more than 140 times, and have more than paid for themselves.

When a massive storm struck in early April more than 120,000 Aucklanders were without power. Five of our villages in Auckland and Hamilton lost power, but we were able to switch over immediately to our emergency generators.

The teams on shift coped superbly well, and there is great peace of mind for staff and residents alike in knowing the lights and emergency systems will stay on in the village centres and care centres even when the rest of the city goes dark.

I’m sure there will be more storms and other events to contend with in

the years ahead, and our generators are going to continue to come into their own.

One of the compelling reasons for our residents and their families to move into a Ryman village has always been peace of mind.

They want to know that their health and security in the years ahead will be taken care of, and that reassurance is a load off their minds.

The generators are another part of that reassurance, part of our overall focus on safety, which is a priority.

The importance of safety was brought home to us all when we got the worst possible news in early January.

Graeme Rabbits, a fantastic young man, died while at work on our Lynfield site in Auckland.

His loss was devastating for his family, his friends and his workmates at Ryman.

We’ve never lost anyone on site before, and it is our worst nightmare.

We can only begin to imagine how hard his loss has been for his family, but we can respect them and his memory by learning from what went wrong and making sure it can never happen again.

I am determined that Graeme’s death is not in vain and I have promised his family that.

Regards,

Gordon MacLeod Chief Executive

In this issue 3 4

Running for Geoff's life

6 7 8

Roaring start to Lions season

Grand entrance for Nellie Melba village

Welcome to Logan Campbell Ryman family rallies for cyclone relief

10 Generator power pays off 11 Mina Foley Scholarship 13 Dad's in the best place 14 Emma Glasson wins 15 Ryman backs protest 16 Flying high in the sky Ryman Healthcare Pty Ltd

Graeme Rabbits

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Suite 11 & 12, Level 1, 2 Brandon Park Drive, Wheelers Hill, VIC 3150 1800 288 299 www.rymanhealthcare.com.au

Weary Dunlop village residents Bill Bould, Julia Bolch and Ian Bolch were happy to participate, with Bill also winning the 5km senior mens event

Running for Geoff's life As Geoff Nyssen marshalled hundreds of walkers and runners, no one would have suspected his cancer has returned.

The organiser of the MY Mt Eliza Run & Fun Festival was a ball of energy at the event he founded in 2017 to raise funds for the battle against Myeloma.

The event, which Ryman Healthcare

has supported since its inception, is a symbol of Geoff’s fight against the disease.

“I see the benefits it gives to the community and the fact that it raises a great amount of money and awareness for Myeloma Australia,” he says.

Geoff isn’t the only one finding it rewarding, with around 800

Geoff Nysson (centre in orange shirt) with the Ryman Australia team Ryman Times • 3

people attending the event.

Among them were more than a dozen Ryman Healthcare staff and Weary Dunlop residents who manned the barbecue, water stations, and offered words of encouragement to participants.

Geoff says the event wouldn’t be possible without the support of organisations like Ryman Healthcare, led by Debbie McClure and Denise Thompson.

Geoff was diagnosed with Myeloma in 2014 and he was told then that he had about 10 years to live, “but I don’t buy into that.”

Even though the cancer is coming back, the prognoses, Geoff says, are merely statistics.

“They’re backward-looking – with my mindset and my abilities I look forward. I’ll be dancing a jig at my 80th birthday and you’ll be invited to the party.”

But before he looks too far ahead, Geoff is soaking up the satisfaction of pulling off another successful community event.

Dame Nellie village makes a grand entrance Dame Nellie Melba’s face graces the Australian $100 note, and now her name will be forever fixed to our new retirement village in Brandon Park.

More than 200 people attended the unveiling of the new village’s name at the Mulgrave Country Club.

Ryman Healthcare names all its retirement villages after exceptional people. Its first Melbourne village, opened in Wheelers Hill in 2014, was named in honour of Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop.

"...a wonderful way to honour her legacy."

Ryman Healthcare chief sales and marketing officer, Debbie McClure says she was delighted the company’s newest village would bear the name of such an influential Australian.

“Dame Nellie was an international opera superstar, but had so much affection for

Melbourne she chose a stage name that paid homage to her hometown.

“To now have that name forever attached to a village community that will care for thousands of Melburnians is a wonderful way to honour her legacy.”

Debbie said Ryman Healthcare has forged an ongoing relationship with the Melba Opera Trust, which is Australia’s premier scholarship program for promising young opera singers.

General Manager of the Melba Opera Trust, Amy Black, said: “Melba had a fierce sense of community and was very generous in supporting worthy causes.

“Through our new partnership, this exciting initiative champions Melba’s values and will support the scholarship that was established by Dame Nellie Melba 87 years ago and continues today through the Melba Opera Trust.

“Residents of the village can look forward to regular performances from our exceptional young opera singers,” Amy said.

Opera singer Cleo Lee McGowan performing Ryman Times • 4

Nellie Melba Village Includes two and three-bedroom independent apartments, one-bedroom serviced apartments and an aged care centre.

The aged care centre will include low care, high care and specialist dementia care.

The resort-style amenities will include a gym, a bowling green, a hairdressing salon, a chapel, a movie theatre, a bar, a cafe and an indoor swimming pool.

The Nellie Melba village will be home to more than 600 people, with the ďŹ rst residents due to move in in July. It will create more than 200 jobs, pumping millions of dollars into the local community.

Chief sales and marketing ofďŹ cer Debbie McClure with Nellie Melba sales advisors Michelle Shaw and Dale Singleton Ryman Times • 5

Roaring start to Lions season The Coburg Lions and Ryman Healthcare teamed up to hold a family fun day to get the footie season off to a flying start.

There was a lot on offer; including face painting, kick-to-kick with AFL Victoria representatives, lawn bowls and live music from the Dollar 20 Blues Band.

Ryman Healthcare chief sales and marketing officer, Debbie McClure, Victoria regional sales and community relations manager Robert Taylor, community relations team leader Denise Thompson and development manager Adrianna Pavelekovic were there to wave the flag.

Lions General Manager Sebastian Spagnuolo said the first ever family day attracted a great turnout.

“Our 2018 Family Day was absolutely fantastic and as a club we are very proud of our

members and family of players that supported the day so well.”

Debbie said a highlight was seeing the team's guernseys sport a Ryman Healthcare logo for the first time.

“The respect and kindness shown to the fans stick out for me. I was genuinely moved by these attributes being shown by the young men of this club, the future leaders, and it reminded me so much of our own company values.”

As well as a partner, Ryman Healthcare is the club's neighbour.

Ryman is planning to build a new resort-style retirement village on a Bell St site bordering the club's grounds.

The village will include independent living, assisted living and aged care and Lions fans will get a great view of the ground from parts of the village.

The club's first Family Day was a roaring success Ryman Times • 6

Logan Campbell's first residents, Marion and Murray, were delighted to move into their new home

Welcome to Logan Campbell village The first residents to move into our new Logan Campbell Retirement Village were welcomed to their shiny new apartment on 1 March 2018.

A special gift box, a bouquet of flowers, and a welcome platter were presented to them by sales advisors Lucy Caldwell and Taryn Eagle, and of course, there was a ribbon on the door to cut. Marion and Murray Garlick said it was very exciting and just a little overwhelming to be the first.“We’re so glad to be in,” said Marion.

“We expected it to be beautiful but this is far better than we ever imagined,” added Murray, who in his delight gave Marion an impromptu kiss on the cheek!

The couple had spent the night before the big move in their motorhome parked on the driveway of their home just down the road in Royal Oak and arrived bright and early at the Campbell Road village to wait for their removal truck to arrive.

hard hats and high vis vests finishing off the rest of the village, the new independent apartment block was a thing of beauty, decorated with wall sculptures and pictures along the hallways, and of course the Garlicks’ new name plate!

Downsizing their belongings had been the least enjoyable part of the process, said Murray, but the pair were excited to set up their new apartment.

Their daughter Judith and granddaughter Kate had joined them at the village to help with unpacking boxes and there

were a few goodies from Ryman to help them on their first day.

Regional Sales and Community Relations Manager Tammy Drinkwater said she was thrilled to welcome Marion and Murray as the first official residents of the new village.

Tammy says: “We’re delighted to have Marion and Murray on board and we’re sure they’re going to enjoy their lovely new apartment for many years to come.”

Joining the Garlicks at the village later that day was second resident to move in, Jean Brown, followed by Joy Whitehead the next day.

"We expected it to be beautiful but this is far better than we ever imagined" While there were plenty of construction workers around in To Marion and Murray's surprise they were given a welcoming gift by sales advisors Lucy Caldwell and Taryn Eagle Ryman Times • 7

Ryman family rallies for cyclone relief Staff and residents from Ryman Healthcare’s Edmund Hillary Retirement Village presented the New Zealand Red Cross with the fruits of the company’s fundraising efforts for Cyclone Gita relief.

Gordon MacLeod presented a cheque for $48,000 to Red Cross General Manager of Communications, Marketing & Fundraising, Shane Chisholm, after explaining that residents and staff had rallied to help when they heard how badly the cyclone had affected the Pacific.

Through happy hour raffles, bake sales, mufti days, barbecues and even a resident car wash at Ryman’s smallest village in Christchurch, residents and staff raised an incredible $24,000 for the charity, with the company matching it dollar for dollar to boost it to $48,000.

Ryman also offered staff who were directly affected by Gita the chance to apply for support packages, and 42 staff received help for the families back home.

And Ryman made an initial donation of $10,000 as soon as news of the damage from the cyclone became evident, taking the total contribution to $79,000.

A dozen Tongan staff from Edmund Hillary were on hand to see the cheque presented to the Red Cross.

Caregiver Talaheu Vea led the group in singing a prayer before giving an emotional speech.

“On behalf of us Tongans we wanted to

share our respect to the CEO of Ryman’s Gordon, thank you very much we really appreciate it.”

She then presented Gordon with a map of the Kingdom of Tonga as a token of their appreciation.

Shane said the donation was “phenomenal.”

“I just want to say a sincere thank you to Ryman for your support, it’s absolutely phenomenal.

“We’ve had a fantastic response from New Zealand but this was a standout in regards to the response you’ve provided and the gifts that you’ve given, so thank you very much for that and for your ongoing support.”

He said the charity had taken steps to prepare for future disasters so that emergency relief packages could be given out to people more quickly.

“In preparedness for these events we have set up warehouses throughout the Pacific so we are able to mobilise our teams and organise supplies within hours.”

Gordon said it had been a great fundraising effort by everyone in the Ryman family.

“We’re delighted to be able to donate the money through the Red Cross, with whom we’ve had a great partnership over the years,” Gordon said.

“Through wars, famines and natural disasters the Red Cross is always there, and we know the money is well spent.”

Gordon with the Edmund Hillary Retirement Village staff who presented him with a map of Tonga Ryman Times • 8

A Red Cross worker helps out in Tonga

Generator power pays off Ryman’s emergency generators have proven to be a bigger success than imagined, and that success has shown that our main power supplies are more fragile than we think.

Close to $10 million has been spent buying and networking new emergency generators at all 32 Ryman villages.

So far 31 have been installed, with the last one due at Margaret Stoddart later this year.

The diesel generators range in size depending on the village, and are designed to keep the lights on in emergencies so residents are kept safe and warm.

They were ordered in the wake of a prolonged four-day outage in Auckland in 2014, which affected Edmund Hillary and Grace Joel villages.

“At the time we had arrangements in place to have hire generators delivered quickly if they were needed,” Gordon MacLeod says.

“We soon learned that those arrangements can quickly fall over when everyone else is demanding a generator at the same time when there is a widespread problem.

“We thought the only way to go was to buy our own, to give everyone the security of knowing they are there permanently and we know they will work.”

What has amazed Gordon and the property team is just how often they’ve been needed.

In the past 18 months the generators

have been used more than 140 times.

“That means we’ve had 140 substantial power outages. Which really means we have a fragile mains power system, it has more than justified the money we have spent.”

With cyclones and extreme weather events becoming more common, the generators give everyone in the village teams the peace of mind of knowing the lights will stay on in the village and care centres.

Neville Parkinson and the team at Kiri Te Kanawa village are happy to say they love their generator and would never be without one again.

In December 2016, a plane crashed into the main line to Gisborne, taking out the main electricity supply.

The city was without power for just under 48 hours, and the village became an oasis for outsiders as well as residents thanks to its generator.

“Gisborne hospital called and asked if we could help out by taking in residents on oxygen who needed power. We took in nine extra patients, basically we took whoever we had space for.”

“We learned a lot about how to run the village in that situation. It has to be one of the best investments Ryman has ever made, it gives the team and all our residents great peace of mind.

“We’ve used it a lot since then,

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which has made us realise the power supply to Gisborne is not as secure as we thought,” the Kiri Te Kanawa manager says.

The Kiri Te Kanawa generator was monitored remotely and power was switched around the village for essential services.

“They even monitored the diesel and sent trucks to top it up when we needed it,” Neville says.

“The village centre became the mothership for our townhouse residents who came over for cups of tea, hot water and company. They found it was a bit quiet at home.”

Storm-tested The category 2 storm that ripped through Auckland on April 10 provided our generators with their greatest test so far.

The storm brought winds in excess of 200 km/h at some stages and power was lost to more than 120,000 Aucklanders. At one point in the evening we had five villages operating on emergency power, keeping our residents safe, warm and secure while the storm raged outside.

Photo Credit: David Rowland

Amelia Berry and James Benjamin Rodgers in Sweeney Todd

Ryman brings Amelia Berry home with new scholarship Ryman Healthcare is helping bring talented young New Zealand singers back home.

In partnership with the Dame Malvina Major Foundation, Ryman will sponsor the Ryman DMMF Mina Foley Scholarship to enable talented young singers to return to New Zealand to perform in a professional season with New Zealand Opera. The scholarship was started in 2008 in memory of one of New Zealand's most promising vocal talents of yesteryear. The soprano, Mina Foley, captivated New Zealand audiences with her singing in the 1950s. Her career was an inspiration for singers like Dame Malvina Major and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

This year's Ryman DMMF Mina Foley Scholar, soprano Amelia Berry, is returning home from New York for the roles of Cunégonde in Candide

and Musetta in La bohème.

Born in Wellington, Amelia is a graduate of the New Zealand School of Music and has a Master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music.

She is a 2010/2011 PwC Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist and 2015 Dame Malvina Major Young Artist with New Zealand Opera and her wins include the New Zealand Aria in 2010 as well as the Napier, Wellington and Otago Arias.

Dame Malvina said the Foundation was thrilled to cement its longstanding relationship with Ryman Healthcare and “Share the Dream” through this worthy scholarship.

“Ryman is clearly committed to supporting the future of performing arts in New Zealand and ensuring its residents get to enjoy the talent being nurtured across the country today.”

Gordon MacLeod said it was a

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"Ryman is clearly committed to supporting the future of performing arts in New Zealand and ensuring its residents get to enjoy the talent being nurtured across the country today" pleasure to be able to support the Mina Foley Scholarship and to help bring Amelia back home to perform.

“Ryman has been supporting the Dame Malvina Major Foundation for more than 15 years and over that time Dame Malvina and her students have entertained thousands of our residents. We can't think of a better way to support our talented artists.”

"We go outside for a walk around the garden just enough to get some fresh air and then I say; ‘if we’re lucky we might have a wine!"

Karen Nickson with her father Colin

I know Dad's in the best place When Karen Nickson leaves her desk at 3pm every Tuesday and Thursday all her colleagues at the bank know exactly where she’s going.

“I’ll say ‘I’m off for a wine at Hilda Ross!” she laughs.

“And they’re always keen to hear about all the interesting stories the next day.”

Karen visits her dad Colin several times a week in the special care unit of Hilda Ross Retirement Village, his home since April last year.

While life has now settled into a good routine, Karen is the first to admit the journey to this point has been hard.

Life turned upside down for the whole family when Karen’s mum Lynette became very unwell early in 2017, and died within just a few weeks from cancer.

It meant some hard decisions had to be made on behalf of Colin who had suddenly lost not only his wife but also his primary caregiver.

The family knew Colin had dementia and couldn’t continue to live alone in Papamoa, but they initially underestimated the impact such a huge upheaval would have on him.

“The shock of the change in his life affected him really badly. Within a short space of time he went from being able to shower himself and get dressed to not being able to do those things.

“I was a little bit in denial too and fought what the experts were saying,” she says.

What followed was a crash course in what the various dementia care facilities in Hamilton had to offer and Karen says while the beautiful aesthetics of Hilda Ross immediately drew her in, it was the care provided that stood out.

“We were worried that Dad was going to be lonely because he’s the sort of person who likes company and I felt like there was more engagement for him here.

“The activities programme has been the thing that impressed me the most. What really blew me away was how much they engage the residents in stuff that’s going on outside these doors, so if it’s Melbourne Cup Day the ladies will wear their

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fascinators and the staff build it into their programme for the crafts they do and they all make a special effort to help them enjoy normal life.”

Karen was also touched by the staff’s caring manner and how they gently encourage the residents to get involved.

“There’s Erick (Albie, special care unit activities coordinator) for instance, his whole demeanour as a person just oozes this sense of caring and genuineness and he’s so passionate about his work, he calls them ‘my beloved residents’, they’re not patients.

“That really reached my heart quite a lot.”

Karen is open about the fact that there is nothing easy about leaving a relative in a locked facility.

“I was really struggling and had a real sense of guilt.

“When you’re faced with the reality of putting a loved one in dementia care it means coming to terms with that and accepting that we’ve got him in the best place possible and I’m confident we have.

“He’s getting the medical care he needs, he’s being treated respectfully, and he’s got no shortage of food!” she adds with a laugh.

Karen says she has become somewhat of an advocate for dementia awareness and recommends that anyone with a family member who has dementia starts having a conversation about care sooner rather than later.

“I heard that particularly if it’s a spouse looking after them they often leave it until it’s really desperate. But the assessment process can take time so it’s better not to be in a situation where you’re rushed.”

As Colin has settled in, Karen has grown more accepting and can delight in the simple joys of time with her Dad. “One of the things I’ve learned is you just live in the moment.

“We go outside for a walk around the garden just enough to get some fresh air and then I say; ‘if we’re lucky we might have a wine!’

“Him and Mum used to sit around at 4-5pm and have a wine so that’s our routine now.”

Emma Glasson wins the Cashin Scholarship Emma Glasson is all set to pursue her dream career after winning the Cashin Scholarship.

The 18-year-old from Invercargill started her first year studying for a Bachelor of Commerce in February and she says winning the $5,000 scholarship will help ease the pressure on her and her family.

Emma's mum, Deanna, is a senior caregiver at Rowena Jackson Retirement Village in Invercargill.

Deanna has worked there since the family moved south from Christchurch in 2012 following the earthquakes.

Emma says the earthquakes were tough on the family.

“We were living in the east of Christchurch and the house we were in was badly damaged with cracked walls and liquefaction everywhere.

“The earthquakes took a toll on us all and mum and dad decided that Invercargill would be a good place to move to. I've been to a great school – Southland Girls' High – and we haven't looked back.”

She wants to become a chartered accountant and the scholarship will help fund her studies.

“I originally studied accounting as a fill-in subject and I found that I loved it. I love problem-solving and maths so I think it will be a great career for me.”

She was busy over the December holidays working on the check-out at an Invercargill do-it-yourself store, and saved hard for her studies.

Emma is the seventh winner of the Cashin Scholarship.

The scholarship was established to honour the memory of former Ryman director Mike Cashin.

Mike was a strong believer in the power of education to change lives and was a great advocate of Ryman Healthcare and its staff. Mike passed away in 2010.

The scholarship is open to Ryman staff members and their families.

The scholarship is funded by Ryman

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Healthcare and each year members of the Cashin family help select the winner.

Blair Cashin, Mike's son, said Emma was a deserving winner.

“We were delighted to support Emma's ambitions to study accountancy. She's part of a family whose lives were disrupted by the earthquakes but she is a determined character who has done well at school through her hard work. As a family, we are thrilled to support her in this next step of her studies and we wish her all the best in her first year.”

Gordon MacLeod wished Emma luck as she started her studies.

“There is always a lot of pressure when you embark on your tertiary study so we hope the scholarship eases the burden for Emma and her family. It is a pleasure to be able to honour Mike's memory in this way, especially because he placed such great value on education because of his own experience. I'm sure everyone at Ryman will wish Emma all the best as she starts her studies.

“We've had seven winners now and there is always strong interest from some fantastic candidates – it is always hard to choose.

“We'll be offering another scholarship next year and I'd encourage everyone in the Ryman family thinking about taking on tertiary study to apply.”

How to apply The Cashin Scholarship is designed to give a helping hand to members of the Ryman family who are taking on tertiary study.

It is open to all current staff and their families, including spouses, children and grandchildren.

Entries for the scholarship open in September, and the winner is announced in January so the winner is all set for the coming year.

The $5,000 is intended to help with study costs.

If you need any more information or help contact david.king@rymanhealthcare.com

Ryman backs residents on bus protest More than 120 Diana Isaac residents and staff rallied in central Christchurch to save their favourite bus stop and immediately won a promise to reconsider from Environment Canterbury's (ECan's) chairman.

The residents and staff hand-delivered a petition to Environment Canterbury chairman Steve Lowndes calling for a compromise on the closure of their closest bus stop.

The regional council had upset residents and staff by proposing to close the Philpott's Rd Orbiter bus stop outside the village gate because of road access changes.

The stop would be moved 1km away, sparking a strong protest from the village residents and staff who rely on the bus to get around.

Organiser and village resident Graham Tate and a team of helpers from the village managed to get 650 signatures on the petition and enlisted the help of local MP Duncan Webb to try and change ECan's mind.

More than 330 village residents, 70 staff and 247 local residents signed the petition.

Chief Executive Gordon MacLeod also signed the petition and wrote to ECan's chairman and management to express his concern for residents and staff who would lose their stop.

Graham said the change was

presented as a ‘done deal’ by ECan staff at earlier meetings at the village, but the stance softened yesterday after the protestors arrived.

"The residents have mapped and measured a compromise route which adds 3 minutes to the service but included stop at the village" “We were presented with a final decision that basically said, 'the walk will do you good' and there was no consultation on how important the bus route is.”

Many residents wouldn't be able to walk the extra distance, let alone carry their shopping bags – despite regular exercise classes.

“A very large proportion couldn't walk to the proposed stop ... it's not through lack of trying, it's not for lack of trying to keep fit, it is just the physical limitation of getting over 80 and some are over 90.”

Senior caregiver Zandra Soriano relies on the bus to get her to and from work.

Walking 1km to the new stop after working a late shift was a big shock she said.

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“I was really troubled by it when I heard the news. A lot of us don't drive and rely on the bus, it takes me all the way home without having to change so losing it would be terrible.”

Greeted with 120 happy, singing, polite but obviously concerned residents, Chairman Steve Lowndes immediately said the council would be happy to reconsider and look at the compromise proposed.

“We will be bending over backwards to see whether we can accommodate you,” he told the protestors, prompting a round of applause.

The council would look at re-routing one in five buses back to the village, reducing the frequency of the service but making sure that it would still be in the loop.

Duncan Webb MP said it was the happiest protest he had been to in a long time.

“The fact that there are 120 people here – many of them octogenarians – to protest – shows the depth of feeling there is about this. I hope the council reconsiders,” The residents have mapped and measured a compromise route which adds 3 minutes to the service but continues to include the stop at the village.

Graham said he was pleased that ECan was committed to considering a compromise, and awaited the outcome of further talks.

Dorothy West and Irma Dowie flying high

522 years flying high in the sky A group of gutsy residents from Whangarei’s Jane Mander Retirement Village took to the skies recently on a parasailing adventure to remember.

With an average age of 87 and a combined age of 522, the six ladies had heard what a buzz it was after 18 of their fellow residents did it earlier the year.

At 100-years-old, Dorothy West was the oldest of the six and said she got the idea when her friend Anne asked why she hadn't done it yet!

“I said; 'I don't suppose there's any reason why I shouldn't go, so why not?!'”

Dorothy said she had attempted various adrenalin activities in the past including gliding at Kaikohe.

“I wanted to do a tandem parachute jump when I was 90 and my granddaughter was going to do it with me but then she couldn't, so I didn't go.

“Then I wanted to go ballooning and I had four tries and it was too windy so I gave that up.

"I think everyone in the village has heard that I'm doing this,”

she laughed. Dorothy has many interesting tales to tell, so many in fact that she has written four books, one of which is called Close Calls, detailing all the near misses she's had. These include being booked on the Mt Erebus flight, being shot at in the US and an aborted landing in Johannesburg when the landing gear failed to operate. (They worked on the second attempt!)

This experience wasn't one of them though, as she and her tandem partner Irma Dowie, 88, said they felt

completely safe as they flew up to 250 metres high above the sea attached to the back of the boat.

Before Dorothy's feet had even touched down she was asking if she could go back up again!

“It was wonderful, seeing the wake from the boat from up there was beautiful and it looked so tiny. It wouldn't have been quite so exciting without the wind!”

Irma, who was also keen to do it again, said: “There was nothing scary about it, I felt quite safe.”

Before the adventure: (left to right) Lyn Rikys, Dorothy West, Irma Dowie, Alison Main, Dulcie Harpur and Merle Briggs Ryman Times • 16