Meet our new Trustee: Liz Read

What inspired you to become a Trustee?

Not-for-profit governance is my way of giving back to my community. The opportunity to help Te Mata Park thrive was simply too good to miss.  It’s a real privilege.

What are you looking forward to contributing to the Trust?

I want more people to know the Park is run by a charitable trust that relies on the goodwill and financial support of our community. I want to help inspire people to support the amazing work our small but mighty team and our army of volunteers do to make the Park an incredible experience for locals and visitors alike.

I’m also ambitious to help expand our school visits and education programmes, so that more tamariki and rangatahi get to experience the natural wonders of the Park and learn about Rongokako’s significance in our region’s history.

What’s your favourite place in Te Mata Park?

The whole park is my happy place. It’s where I go for a cardio fix and equally, it’s where I head when I need to slow my heart rate and connect with nature. I love the coolness and peace of the bush and the redwoods, and the breathtaking vistas and wide-open spaces of the Park’s upper reaches. And I love that my dog loves the Park as much as I do.