Our patron

Catherine Tizard spent the first twenty years of her adult life as an MP’s wife, housewife and mother of four, finished a degree and taught zoology at The University of Auckland. She was elected to the Auckland City Council in 1971, the Auckland Regional Authority in 1980, became Mayor of Auckland in 1983 and was appointed Governor General of New Zealand in 1990.

Since retirement, she has remained active in Community affairs, is on the Auckland Board of Conservation, chairs the Sir Edmund Hillary Trust, is Deputy-Chairman of the Kiri te Kanawa Trust and Patron of Hospice new Zealand and The Variety Club Children’s Charity.

She is still a Patron or Trustee of far too many other organisations, entertains herself doing cryptic crosswords, reading, going to the theatre and listening to music.