Ryman Times NZ - SPRING 2023

RYMAN TIMES RY M A N H E A LT H CA R E N EW Z E A L A N D

About Sir Patrick Hogan Hilda Ross Kitchen Assistant wins Cashin Scholarship Ryman backs the Black Ferns!

Deborah Cheetham jobs bonanza

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A WORD FROM RICHARD Kia ora and welcome to our latest edition of the Ryman Times.

What a busy few months we have had after a turbulent start to the year! From cyclones and severe flooding to the on-going impacts of COVID and the difficult market conditions we’re continuing to experience – Ryman has faced into every challenge that’s been thrown at us.

There’s also been a lot to celebrate! It was exciting to recently commemorate the naming of our Cambridge village with the team. After a nationwide search, Cambridge was named in honour of the late New Zealand horse racing and breeding legend, Sir Patrick Hogan KNZM CBE. It was fantastic to see Chief Executive Officer- NZ Cheyne Chalmers announce the name live on TVNZ’s Breakfast with Sir Patrick’s widow Justine, Lady Hogan.

We also celebrated partnering with several new organisations this year with a focus on elevating the Ryman brand. In New Zealand, we were proud to announce that we are backing the Black Ferns, and in Australia, Ryman and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra struck a chord to mark a fabulous relationship.

I am also pleased to report that several endeavours from Ryman team members have resulted in fantastic award wins. Our innovative myRyman Resident app, has been recognised for its outstanding utilisation of technology at the Australian Good Design Awards. I was also pleased to see that our talented Hamilton chefs were honoured for national excellence.

Well done to Chefs Shane Ormshaw and Fiona Le Gros.

There is a lot to talk about in this edition, and I look forward to seeing what the rest of this year has in store for us. In the meantime, thank you again for your invaluable support.

Richard Umbers Group Chief Executive

IN THIS ISSUE Village named after Sir Patrick Hogan

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About Sir Patrick Hogan

Exercise Tempest hits Ryman’s Northwood Village Hilda Ross Kitchen Assistant wins Cashin Scholarship Linda Jones chef scoops national Excellence in Food Award

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Ryman backs the Black Ferns!

Mega auction raises $55,000 for charity

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Ryman and MSO strike a chord Anthony Wilding refurb wins approval

Front cover: New Zealand CEO Cheyne Chalmers and Sir Patrick Hogan’s family.

Deborah Cheetham jobs bonanza

Ryman Healthcare Ltd

Mamma Mia! It’s Ernest Rutherford’s birthday myRyman resident app wins!

Airport Business Park 92 Russley Road, Christchurch PO Box 771, Christchurch 8042 0800 588 222 rymanhealthcare.co.nz The Ryman Times is a quarterly publication for shareholders.

For editorial enquiries please contact ruthea.vanheerden@rymanhealthcare.com

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VILLAGE NAMED AFTER SIR PATRICK HOGAN Ryman Healthcare has named its new retirement village in Cambridge in honour of the late New Zealand horse racing and breeding legend, Sir Patrick Hogan KNZM CBE. Sir Patrick Hogan became famous worldwide in the racing industry after he established Cambridge Stud, with foundation stallion Sir Tristram providing a bountiful bloodline that changed the shape of the thoroughbred racing industry.

The name was revealed at a special event at the Cambridge Road village that was broadcast early on TVNZ’s Breakfast, with Sir Patrick’s widow Justine, Lady Hogan, helping Ryman Healthcare’s New Zealand CEO Cheyne Chalmers to unveil the new village sign.

It was the resounding favourite suggestion from a number of surveys carried out to canvas local and national opinion, which included a campaign on the television show Breakfast and one run by the Cambridge News.

and Erin, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, felt incredibly humbled and proud of what their father and grandfather achieved in his lifetime and were sure it would have ‘meant the world’ to Sir Patrick too.

Justine, Lady Hogan, said she was deeply moved by the gesture to name the village after her late husband.

“He was a perfectionist in everything he did, and we know, having visited the village ourselves, that he would have been proud to put his name to something that has been built to incredibly high standards with amazing facilities on offer.”

“This tribute is a beautiful way to honour his legacy and the impact he had on others.

“Thank you to Ryman Healthcare for ensuring his memory lives on in such a meaningful way and in a town he was so proud to call home.”

Lady Hogan said the wider family, including his two daughters Nicola Ryman Times • 4

President of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, John Thompson, said Sir Patrick was ‘an icon of the thoroughbred breeding industry’ and it was a ‘very appropriate’ name for the new retirement village.

“There’s a sense of pride for the industry in this recognition of Sir Patrick’s efforts. He contributed a lot to the local community so that’s one of the reasons he’s so well respected, and successful too. He really put Cambridge on the map and took things to a whole new level,” he said.

Cheyne Chalmers said it was a privilege to be able to honour Sir Patrick Hogan.

“We were blown away by the response we had when we asked for names for our new Cambridge village. We had over 1,500 name submissions, which is incredible, but even more wonderful was to see just how engaged people are.

“With Sir Patrick’s name being the overwhelming favourite, we know this will mean something special to this community.”

The village, located five minutes from Cambridge township, is already home to around a dozen residents while the rest is under construction. It will boast 185 beautiful two or three-bedroom townhouses, 60 one-bedroom assisted-living apartments and a state-of-the-art care centre offering 80 resthome, hospital, and specialist dementia care rooms within the same village community.

Pictured left: Cheyne Chalmers and Sir Patrick Hogan’s family.

Pictured top: Resident-to-be Doug Lineham stole the show when he was interviewed by Breakfast presenter Matty McLean.

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ABOUT SIR PATRICK HOGAN Born in 1939, the son of an Irish immigrant, Sir Patrick began his journey in the horse breeding industry in the 1960s on the family farm, Fencourt Stud, with his father and brother.

Sir Patrick set out on his own, founding Cambridge Stud. Despite all advice to the contrary, he borrowed money to buy an Irish stallion sight unseen but with pedigree potential. Widespread recognition and influence followed the overwhelming success of Sir Patrick’s Cambridge Stud.

Affectionately known as ‘Paddy’, Sir Tristram sired an incredible 140 stakes winners of which there were 45 Group One winners, including three Melbourne Cup winners. Paddy’s success was continued by his son, champion sire Zabeel.

Sir Patrick’s famous determination and drive combined with his highly competitive nature saw him become the first to offer guarantees on his horses.

This innovation proved fruitful, despite Sir Patrick once having to pay out on a $1 million yearling.

In 1992, Sir Patrick was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) followed by his appointment in the 2000 New Year Honours as a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (KNZM) for his contributions to thoroughbred breeding and racing.

Sir Patrick and Lady Justine were named New Zealand Breeder of the Year each year from 1994-97, with Cambridge Stud being the leading vendor at the national yearling sales for 32 consecutive years.

Sir Patrick was the first horse breeder to be honoured by induction into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2005. The following year, the New Zealand racing industry made him its inaugural inductee into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.

Sir Patrick passed away on 6th January 2023 in Waikato Hospital at the age of 83.

Pictured: Sir Patrick dedicated his life to horses.

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EXERCISE TEMPEST HITS RYMAN’S NORTHWOOD VILLAGE ‘Exercise Tempest’ is what hit Ryman Healthcare’s Northwood retirement village over a weekend in August, with emergency response team members stretchering injured people out of a damaged apartment block.

It was part of a wider Civil Defence scenario: A savage storm results in planes crashing, apartment buildings collapsing and dozens of serious injuries amongst the scenario of high winds and flooding.

The exercise brought together 130 first responders – made up of South Island Civil Defence and emergency teams – to help with, rescue, triage and the required first aid treatment of storm ‘victims’.

The new Ryman village on the outskirts of Christchurch is home to a growing number of residents,

some drawn in to watch the Civil Defence orchestrated ‘tempest’.

Chris Caselton, Senior Cost Analyst at Ryman, is a member of Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Canterbury, and was on site on Saturday morning at 8am. He didn’t finish his ‘work day’ until after midnight, and was up again early on Sunday to help wrap up the exercise.

What Chris and fellow team members witnessed was Canterbury, already under a ‘RED rain warning’, being caught in an atmospheric river with heavy rain and gale force winds. The consequence included two planes colliding at Christchurch Airport, and damage at Northwood village and other sites.

Initial reports said: “There is widespread damage to residential areas along with some commercial buildings. There have been Ryman Times • 8

reports of trees downed and roofs blown off houses with unconfirmed reports of people trapped in buildings.”

A group of top Civil Defence responders, including Chris, came in with a rescue plan. By the time the teams left the Northwood site at 1pm, lives had been saved, injured Cantabrians had been stretchered to a safe space and first aid delivered.

Chris says the site, secured

by Ryman for the day, was the second time a Canterbury village had been used for a Civil Defence purpose. To enable the exercise 180 or so “volunteer victims” had agreed to play the part and be rescued. The group, collectively part of a Facebook page, had been put on standby by Red Cross Leader Doug Winter.

The exercise combined selected South Island CDEM teams

and other response agencies including the Coast Guard and St John. Chris’ own Christchurchbased Civil Defence team, Response Team 11, also happens to include fellow Rymanian Corey Shelton (Part of Ryman’s IT computer end user team).

In the lead up to the event Chris also worked with Aaron Edwards, NZ Construction Health & Safety Manager, with Northwood Project Manager Nigel Bannan and with Northwood Senior Health & Safety Advisor Ian Mackay, who welcomed the insight into emergency planning.

“I was amazed at the personnel that turned out for the event... to treat patients with some of the injuries looking very real,” Ian says.

The teams had been put on standby. “Then we activated all the teams from 4am on Saturday morning,” Chris says.

The new buildings being erected at the Northwood village site were used for the Saturday morning simulation.

At 1.30pm Chris had to hot foot it to Christchurch Airport for his second simulation, based around a mock-up area within the airport.

“There’s a big fuselage that they’ve got, they’ve got 30 casualties in there... it had come into land, had trouble landing, then it collected another plane (with six people as well) as it came in.

“We were doing a bit of medical moulage (involving the ‘treatment’ of simulated wounds)...someone had some scissors in their eye.”

His third stopover point was at the Base of Operations (BOO) for the entire weekend exercise. Chris acted as ‘Incident Controller’ within the Incident Management Team. This was perhaps the most exciting part of his weekend, Ryman Times • 9

with the shift lasting from 5pm to midnight, he says.

“I was running a team of eight, at the BOO, we were using the A&P showgrounds... keeping lots of things going, and setting the direction for the response for that period of time.

“(Overall) it was really good – lots of success, lots of learnings. The victims all had real positive feedback.”

Chris has attended a number of CD deployments including assessment of flooding that damaged the 90-year-old Ashburton bridge, the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake and the Port Hills fire of 2017.

Pictured: Exercise Tempest put the Civil Defence team to the test!

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HILDA ROSS KITCHEN ASSISTANT WINS CASHIN SCHOLARSHIP For Farida Najafi, being announced as this year’s Cashin scholarship recipient is a massive boost after her path to complete further education only seemed to grow harder and harder.

Originally from Afghanistan, the 19-year-old was forced to move to Pakistan with her family when she was just a toddler. The family lived in Balochistan in a small city called Quetta, where many other Afghan refugees had migrated to, and Farida went to a Persianspeaking school.

Unable to speak the local language of Urdu, she couldn’t continue her tertiary studies in Pakistan, and she decided to apply for a course in computer science at the University of Kabul instead, where she lived in the student hostel.

“I loved it there, I had a sense of a feeling of love,” she says of returning to her homeland.

Farida’s father, who has lived in Australia since she was eight, is hoping to join them too.

The family arrived last August, and Farida quickly looked for some part time work, spotting the kitchen assistant role at Hilda Ross where she was tasked with washing dishes.

She embarked on her English NZCEL Level 4 study and investigated a course at the New Zealand School of Tourism.

“I saw about the Scholarship on ChattR, and Fiona (Le Gros, Senior Lead Chef) told me about it and said to give it a try.”

The Cashin Scholarship was set up in 2012 in memory of Mike Cashin, who was a Ryman director at the time of his death in 2010.

Then came the news – and a slightly delayed reaction!

“Lucie (Harrison, People Development Coordinator) rang and said, ‘I’m so delighted to say you’re this year’s Cashin scholarship recipient.’”

Farida laughs: “I wasn’t sure at first, so I said, ‘does that mean I’m the winner?’”

Realising that she was indeed the winner of the $10,000 scholarship, Farida was thrilled as were her parents and sisters.

“It means a lot to me; it can help me to achieve my goals.”

It also means she can return to her original dream of doing computer science, eventually leading to a job in web development.

“By winning this scholarship, I want to be a positive impact and motivation in my community and to those who have experienced similar challenges that I have.”

But just a couple of months into her course came the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 and crippling restrictions were placed on girls and women.

Mike was a huge believer in the power of education to improve lives, and the scholarship is intended to provide support for people who need it, with both Ryman employees and their families eligible.

“Girls could only be educated for the first six years. I was a little bit scared. I left the hostel and went to stay with my relatives in Kabul and then my family said, ‘Get home now’.

Farida was also inspired by her colleague Angus Newell’s scholarship success earlier in the year – fellow kitchen assistant Angus was named the Graeme Rabbits scholarship winner.

“Two days later I was back home.”

Her application was shortlisted, and she was asked to do a Zoom call with the Cashin family.

“Farida’s passion for learning and her unwavering determination have set an inspiring example for all of us, and beautifully embodies everything our father believed in and what this scholarship stands for,” Lisa said.

“I was a bit nervous, but they were very friendly and I was feeling better after that.”

Pictured: Farida Najafi was delighted to be named winner of the Cashin Scholarship.

Farida’s uncle and grandmother live in New Zealand, and they began the process of sponsoring Farida, her three sisters and mother to join them.

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Lisa Cashin and her brother Blair were extremely impressed by Farida’s determination to succeed and commended her aspirations.

LINDA JONES CHEF SCOOPS NATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN FOOD AWARD Linda Jones Retirement Village Chef Shane Ormshaw has credited his loyal kitchen team for his success in winning at the national Aged Care Association (ACA) awards.

Shane was announced the overall winner at the Gilmours Excellence in Food Award for Care Homes and Hospitals, which is run annually by the ACA. “I am absolutely thrilled to have won the award,” Shane said.

“It is a really great accolade that is deserved from the fabulous kitchen team and the support from my village manager and Ryman’s food service team.

It was his own kitchen team that made him most proud, he said.

“Each one has been hand-picked since the village opened, and together each day, we can provide the quality and consistency of food that our residents deserve. I am extremely grateful for all their hard work.”

There were considerable hoops to jump through to get to that point, including a detailed entry form describing innovations or ways the team had made improvements, a description of the key team members involved and what the outcomes were, as well as providing a four minute video outlining the village’s food service programme.

On top of that, they had a nervewracking few hours hosting the visiting judges for lunch with only the dates of the week they would be arriving notified beforehand!

There were three finalists shortlisted for the award, one of them being his fellow Hamilton chef – Fiona Le Gros from Hilda Ross Retirement Village!

For that reason, Shane said he would have been happy with a win for Team Ryman.

“I thought it was fantastic that another Ryman village could make it to the final.

Fiona works hard and is passionate. The results speak for themselves,” he said.

Originally from South Africa, Shane started cooking from a young age as an interest and to help out his parents, and later built up his experience in hotels, catering for conferences and weddings.

He spent five years based at RAF Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean catering 250 meals a day for the mainly military personnel and contractors. Having to rely on deliveries by ship every six weeks made Shane an expert in menuplanning and managing stock!

A decision to move to New Zealand with his wife and young son in 2018 saw him working for Sky City in Hamilton until COVID-19 shut everything Ryman Times • 12

down and forced him to find a new job.

That’s where Linda Jones Village came in, and Shane has relished the new challenge but with more family-friendly hours and the opportunity to build relationships with the residents.

Shane says catering for older people in this setting may not be what people think it is.

“Retirement village food is not boring and dull! And the great thing is you get feedback every day. The residents will tell you if they like it and I enjoy forming those relationships with people.”

Andrew Gibson, Ryman’s Hotel Services Manager – Operations, said Fiona and Shane were both fantastic chefs and the whole team was very proud of them.

“To have reached this level of recognition is a brilliant achievement and we congratulate Shane for the win.

“We feel lucky to have both Fiona and Shane in the Ryman family!”

Pictured top: Hilda Ross Village Manager Izak Luther with the Senior Lead Chef Fiona Le Gros.

Pictured bottom: Linda Jones Village Manager Neville Parkinson, Cheyne Chalmers and Senior Lead Chef Shane Ormshaw.

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RYMAN BACKS THE BLACK FERNS! Ryman Healthcare has officially kicked off a game-changing partnership with the Black Ferns!

This exciting announcement has been in the works for well over a year, and celebrates Ryman as an Official Partner of the Black Ferns and Black Ferns Sevens, as well as the inaugural WXV1 tournament, which was hosted across New Zealand in October.

Ryman’s New Zealand Chief Executive Officer, Cheyne Chalmers said how delighted everyone was for Ryman to become the first dedicated partner of the Black Ferns since Rugby World Cup 2021, played in 2022.

“As a rugby and sport-loving nation, we’re proud to be

able to support the growth and development of women’s rugby through this exciting new partnership,” she said.

“As we focus on a new generation of retirement village residents, the Black Ferns’ bold, inclusive, and innovative approach is a great alignment with our organisation and brand.”

Being a company where 60% of the workforce is female, it made sense to align with an organisation in women’s sport with shared principles of care, innovation, togetherness and well-being.

“We are looking forward to launching a programme of work that celebrates the advancement of women in business and sport,” said Cheyne.

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New Zealand Rugby (NZR) CEO Mark Robinson welcomed the new partnership: “We are excited by the opportunity for both parties to deepen connections within our communities and inspire the growth of leaders within business and sport.”

There was an extra buzz in the air on the day of the announcement, with Black Ferns players arriving at Ryman’s Christchurch head office for the big reveal.

Dozens of Ryman team members, wearing the traditional black to show their support, lined up in the office training rooms and hear players Amy Du Plessis, Georgia Ponsonby and Grace Brooker explain why they were equally thrilled about the partnership.

“We enjoyed the experience, and it didn’t take long to get warm and dry. We wouldn’t hesitate to do it all again!” she said.

It was also the first glimpse for many of a brand-new TV commercial filmed two weeks prior at Edmund Hillary in Auckland featuring Amy, fellow Black Ferns Alana Bremner and Sylvia Brunt and starring over 30 village residents.

There were a number of scenes filmed inside the village and in the grounds on what was a chilly Auckland day.

Resident Barbara Cook, who featured in the BBQ scene with husband Graeme, enjoyed every minute despite the low temperatures.

Images: Black Ferns Sylvia Brunt, Amy Du Plessis and Alana Bremner film with Edmund Hillary village residents and Black Ferns legend Kendra Cocksedge.

There was even a cameo appearance by fellow “retiree” and Black Ferns legend Kendra Cocksedge, who also joined the current players for the announcement.

Kendra said: “I think it’s really exciting to have Ryman Healthcare on board. It’s been a tough ride from when I first started to where it’s at now, but I just absolutely love it. With Ryman coming on board and people seeing that I think going forward other people will want to jump on board too.”

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Scan the QR code to watch the Black Ferns village video

MEGA AUCTION RAISES $55,000 FOR CHARITY The Mornington Community Support Centre has received a $55,000 boost after hundreds of goods went under the hammer at the old Melbourne Business School site in Mt Eliza.

The business school was purchased by Ryman Healthcare in 2016, and the company was given approval to build a retirement village and aged care facility on the Kunyung Rd site late last year.

The Rotary Clubs of Mornington and Mt Eliza facilitated the auction, which included an array of furniture, appliances, antiques and artwork.

All proceeds from the auction were donated to the Mornington Community Support Centre to fund its services to people in the area.

Mornington Community Support Centre CEO Ben Smith said the centre was “thrilled” by the donation.

The Mornington Community Support Centre is a registered charity to give material aid and support services to those in need.

“We were thrilled to be able to benefit from both the outcome of the funds raised, and the partnership opportunities it opened,” Ben said.

Ryman Healthcare Senior Development Manager Penny Honey said Ryman had worked for two years to organise the Moondah auction in a way that ensured all proceeds would benefit the local community.

“Our friends at Mt Eliza and Mornington Rotary Clubs were instrumental in providing the people power and organisation on the ground.

“Ryman’s generosity is a clear indicator of the company’s willingness to be a part of the community, not simply another development.”

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“The work Ben and his team do is absolutely essential, and we’re really pleased to be able to make a contribution to support them,” she said. “We hope we can continue to support them into the future.”

Pictured: Mornington Community Support Centre CEO Ben Smith with Penny Honey.

RYMAN AND MSO STRIKE A CHORD Ryman Healthcare Australia CEO Cameron Holland’s return to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) stage proved he has many strings to his bow.

For the second year Cam, a talented double bassist, joined the members of the MSO for the ‘Symphony in a Day’ performance.

Led by esteemed conductor Johannes Fritzsch, chief executives swapped desk jobs for a place alongside Melbourne’s most talented musicians for a one-off performance of pieces

by Tchaikovsky and Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin.

Having last year dealt with the nerves, which inevitably come when playing with professional musicians, Cam said the 2023 ‘Symphony in a Day’ was ‘fantastic’.

“After a year of practice and getting up to speed I was less nervous than the year prior,” he laughed.

Ryman Healthcare is a Premier Partner of the MSO and the ‘Symphony in a Day’ performance combined Cam’s passion for Ryman and his long-held interest in music.

After completing secondary school, Cam had to choose between an invitation to join the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music or studying business. His decision to study business led him to Ryman, which in turn led him back to the world of music.

“This year the performance was at Hamer Hall in Melbourne’s CBD, which was a huge thrill,” he said.

“The main thing I have learnt is that playing with pros lifts all boats.

Ryman residents and prospective residents enjoyed exclusive access to the MSO’s Winter Gala Event presented by Ryman.

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Conductor Jamie Martín led the MSO and violinist Ray Chen in emotive pieces by Tchaikovsky, Ligeti and Rachmaninov at Hamer Hall and Costa Hall, in Geelong.

Ryman Healthcare Victorian Sales and Community Relations Manager Debra Richardson said the events gave prospective residents a sense of what Ryman offered.

“Providing unique opportunities for residents and prospective residents is part of Ryman’s pioneering approach to retirement living,” Debra said.

With Ryman’s partnership with the MSO resonating with leadership, residents, and prospective residents alike, further exclusive events, including matinee sessions, would be planned.

Pictured: Cameron Holland with soloist Ray Chen.

ANTHONY WILDING REFURB WINS APPROVAL An Anthony Wilding ‘refurb party’ went off with lights, cameras, action and some special guest appearances showing just how well the ambitious refurbishment has worked.

Those walking into a fantastic village reception area included Cheyne Chalmers who welcomed Wigram MP Megan Woods.

They revealed the plaque, to the applause of the crowd. And there was also a surprise unveiling still to come!

Cheyne set the scene by telling everyone the story of the more recent additions at Anthony Wilding village, which first opened in 2007.

Cheyne said when she first arrived at Ryman three years ago, Anthony Wilding was one of her first ports of call. Soon after the plans for a refurbishment grew, with an eventual price of $8 million.

“I’m just blown away by how beautiful the village centre’s looking, and the café, and I cannot wait to have a coffee.

I’ve got an order in.”

Luckily for the residents of Anthony Wilding village the shopping list for the upgrade over two years of rolled-out stages turned out to be top shelf.

The really modern feel includes lighting features. The walk-in

to reception area is closely connected to an on trend café.

As residents and guests walked further into the main building, they saw the sales office, a polished and inviting library and a theatre/ reflection room – all featuring design features.

There have been upgrades to the village gym, the swimming pool and associated changing rooms, the dining room. and the servery.

There is still some work to do on kitchens and the care centre dining rooms.

Other additions include a new buggy room and a new residents’ workshop.

Megan Woods said it was wonderful to see the wellbeing and care of senior New Zealanders was being looked after in villages such as Anthony Wilding. “I think about it each and every day. My father came to live with me in October last year, just down the road actually.

“So just understanding how important it is to have well laid out spaces, where things can be done well, is so critical to living life well.”

Cheyne thanked Megan and went on to thank the residents, Village Manager Sharon Armstrong and her team along with the talented design and property teams and Rymanians including Ryman Times • 18

Chris Camm, Sara McCunnie, Frank Wang, Tim Goodwin, John Beuth and Louise Brown.

She also touched on the life of Anthony Wilding who died on the 9th of May 1915, killed in action in France during World War I. Cheyne and Megan unveiled a portrait of Anthony Wilding, painted by New Zealand artist Craig Primrose. Cheyne reminded everyone that Anthony grew up at his parents house, on the shores of the Heathcote River. “He is regarded as the world’s first tennis superstar, winning 11 grandslam tournaments between 1909 and 1914.”

Village Manager Sharon Armstrong said residents were already enjoying utilising the improved spaces. “So, we’ve got an additional activities room, a games room, a café, which is wonderful. I do have to do test quality control each day for coffee... I highly recommend it,” she said.

“Also, the café is working really well for the social interaction for our residents and relatives.”

Pictured top: Ryman Healthcare team members celebrate the refurbishment.

Pictured bottom: Cheyne Chalmers unveils the portrait with Wigram MP Megan Woods.

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DEBORAH CHEETHAM JOBS BONANZA The opening of Ryman Healthcare’s Deborah Cheetham Retirement Village has been an employment boon for Ocean Grove, with more than 50 new jobs created and coming on line this month.

The Shell Rd village, which will be home to around 360 residents, has completed a months-long recruitment drive to staff its justcompleted aged care centre and support services.

The jobs span an array of roles, including nurses, carers, hospitality staff, activity and lifestyle coordinators, gardeners, maintenance people and administration staff.

Despite concerns that finding enough high-quality staff for a village in the seaside town could be a challenge, a Ryman recruitment campaign launched earlier this year saw more than 100 locals attend an open evening at Ryman Times • 20

the Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club looking to join the Deborah Cheetham team.

The village offers a mix of independent retirement living, assisted living in serviced apartments, and a 120-bed aged care centre, so it requires a broad range of skills and experience now it’s fully operational.

Among the new Deborah Cheetham recruits is Ocean

and it looks amazing – it’s a magnificent facility”.

Working for a values-based organisation with a positive purpose was what attracted him to the role the most, he said.

“Even the interview process, it was more about who you are, what are your values and what’s important to you.

“I feel a part of the team already, the induction process and recruitment process has been pretty awesome.”

Ryman Healthcare Recruitment Manager Lisa Grantham said they were “blown away” not only by the number of Ocean Grove locals who applied for roles at the village, but by the calibre of them.

“At Ryman we’re looking for the right kind of people first and foremost, with a real emphasis on ‘kind’,” Lisa said.

“Given we had so many roles to fill and Ocean Grove is a relatively small place, we really weren’t sure how the recruitment process was going to go.

Grove local Colin Cooper, who’s stepping away from a long career in the corporate world to take up a role as a van driver.

work that had a bit of purpose and a bit of meaning about it.

“I spent around 40 years in corporate life and just on 12 months ago I walked away from the corporate world to look for a more balanced lifestyle,” Colin said.

“I saw this and I thought, ‘This looks amazing’ because it suits me perfectly in terms of the hours and the flexibility, but also the fact that you’re working with people that you can actually make a difference to their day.”

“I was looking for some part time work and I was looking for some

Colin lives just down the road from the village, “so I’ve watched it grow Ryman Times • 21

“I’m not sure what we were worried about to be honest – this community is absolutely overflowing with people who are talented, kind, and who want to work at a place with a real purpose.”

Lisa said more roles will become available at the village as more residents move in over the coming months.

Pictured: Deborah Cheetham van driver Colin Cooper.

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MAMMA MIA! IT’S ERNEST RUTHERFORD’S BIRTHDAY Surprise Abba performance, speeches and one heck of a party marked a very special birthday for Nelson’s Ernest Rutherford Retirement Village.

Nelson Mayor Nick Smith and Liz Dilger, General Manager of New Zealand Operations, joined with residents to celebrate 15 years of the village.

The celebration included the presentation of a brand-new painting of the village’s namesake, Baron Rutherford, commissioned by Ryman for the residents to enjoy.

The village team put together a video telling the story of the village from the early days.

And the village’s very own Abba tribute performers Lyn Nelson, Elaine Mildren, Gwenda Parker and Lyn Skipper teamed up for a medley from the Swedish supergroup.

Mayor Nick Smith said he was lucky enough to have been at the celebrations to mark the opening of the village 15 years ago, and he was pleased to be back.

“It was a truly Nelson-wide celebration back then. It was a celebration of a beautifullydesigned village and facility, and also a belated celebration that recognised one of Nelson’s greatest contributors – Ernest Rutherford.’’

Since it opened the village had established itself as a landmark in the city thanks to the quality of its care and its community spirit.

for you all to become difficult teenagers – I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.’’

“You can have the best building and the nicest units, but they don’t make a retirement village,’’ Mayor Smith said.

Liz Dilger said the village had been a success right from the start, selling in record time and becoming an integral part of the Stoke community.

“I’ve had the privilege of coming here many times over the past 15 years and the caring staff that are employed by this facility are much more important than the buildings. I acknowledge them.’’

Liz’s biggest thank you of the day went to Village Manager Sam Ferrick and the team for all they had done and continued to do each day to care for their residents.

If there was any chapter in the life of Ernest Rutherford where the village had stepped up to the mark, it was during the COVID years when the care was excellent, Mayor Smith said.

“Thank you to you all for all you have done. You’re extraordinary – and in the past three years of COVID you have been exceptional as well as extraordinary. I cannot thank you enough.’’

So excellent in fact, he was planning to move in.

Liz singled out a whole lot of long-serving team members for special thanks, including Vicki McLennan, Raewyn Wright, Anna McCorkindale, Lynn Rollo, Helen Danielsen, Debbie Ogden, Joanne Robinson, Teresa Churchill, Lauren Wells, Simone Taylor, Janet Stacey, Bev Fokenga, Karen Wellington, Jane McIlroy, Krystal Manson, Jane Hockey and Greece Tade.

“It won’t be too long before I will be knocking on the door for a unit because I see the way in which the village provides a caring environment.

I’d be proud to be a resident here one day,’’ he said.

The mayor noted that he was nervous about the village’s 15th birthday and had a warning for residents to behave.

“While we celebrate the 15th birthday it is not an invitation Ryman Times • 23

Happy birthday Ernest Rutherford.

Pictured: Ernest Rutherford Village Manager Sam Ferrick with Nelson Mayor Nick Smith.

MYRYMAN RESIDENT APP WINS! Ryman Healthcare’s innovative Resident App has been recognised for its outstanding utilisation of technology at the Australian Good Design Awards.

The Digital Design Apps and Software Green Tick Award was won in conjunction with the digital transformation partner Journey Digital.

The Australian Good Design Awards celebrate cutting-edge design projects which foster positive change in society. Seventy Australian and international jurors, including designers and engineers evaluated the entries.

The jury said the myRyman Resident App demonstrated industry-leading design.

“The myRyman Resident app is heartwarmingly helpful to retirees.

Its visual design, navigation and understanding of haptic ranges on mobile devices all demonstrate an exceptional appreciation of design practice,” they said.

Since its introduction the app has transformed the way residents access information about events and activities at villages.

The app was designed specifically for older adults, including those with cognitive decline and vision impairment, following more than 270 hours of interviews and user-testing with about 150 Ryman residents. Users can stay up to date with village news and events, as well as create their own schedules and book exclusive Ryman events and activities.

Weary Dunlop Retirement Village resident Elaine Cook said the app’s simple design meant it had become a helpful way to plan social activities.

technologies made for and informed by residents.

“This award celebrates our desire to put technology that will enhance freedom, connection and wellbeing in the hands of our residents,” she said.

The close partnership between Ryman’s technology team and their digital transformation partner Journey Digital was integral to the app’s success.

Journey Digital Head of Strategy and Design Amanda Stonex was thrilled by the win.

“It’s easy to use, which is one of its strong points,” she said.

“Our focus was a deep empathy for the residents, delivering the highest standards of accessibility, pairing it with a beautiful interface to genuinely elevate the resident experience.”

Ryman Healthcare Chief Experience and Engagement Officer Mary-Anne Stone said the win acknowledged Ryman’s commitment to creating

Pictured: Journey Digital UX/ UI Lead Johan Wepener, Ryman Healthcare UX/UI Lead Emily Underwood, and Journey Digital Design Director Ryan Campbell.

Ryman Times • 24