At our recent AGM Trustee Hamish Rennie was elected Chair of Waihora Ellesmere Trust. Hamish was previously chair of WET from 2007 to 2009 and so brings a wealth of experience to the role. For our November newsletter Hamish shared his thoughts on volunteers and other subjects.

Volunteers! What would we do without them? But volunteering can be fun, it nearly always has its share of stress, even if it is just the effort to roll out of bed a little early on a Saturday morning to help set up a display, talk at or transport people to an event.  All of this was very evident at the Canterbury Plant-Out Day where WET worked hand in hand with Te Ara K?k?riki to make a genuine success. At the end there is a sense of accomplishment – a job done that helps others, helps the community, and helps the Lake.  The attendance at such events of Lady Isaac, and the active participation of the likes of the Minster for the Environment Amy Adams, the Chief Executives of ECan and DoC Canterbury, several Selwyn District Councillors and its Mayor is a reminder of the value of such work in connecting people in significant decision-making roles with people in the community and the issues facing our Lake and its catchment.

Seeing the review of achievements of the Trust over the last ten years that our manager, Adrienne Lomax, has compiled and looking at the new Action Plan approved by the board at the last AGM gave me cause to pause and reflect on the many, many uncounted hours of voluntary work put in by the members of the Trust over those years.  The importance of the work of the Trust and the pleasure that people have gained from seeing jobs well done is demonstrated by the many original trustees that continue to be members and it was great to see Ken Hughey agree to continue as a Trustee.  He, Peter Chamberlain, Kelvin Coe and Rob McPherson have all served on the Board since its establishment in 2003.  At the same time, we were saddened to hear of the passing of former trustee Vince Moroney. Our memories are of his positive contributions to the Trust as we send our condolences to his family.

At the AGM, longstanding Board member Colin Hill and Kate Bonifacio decided not to seek re-election to the Board.  Colin’s interest and expertise in birds and farming will be especially missed.  However, we welcome Brian Reid to the Board – a long term duck-shooter on Kaitorete Spit, Bryan is a reminder that many of those with very strong attachments and ongoing involvement with the Lake do not live within its catchment. He has been a regular attendee at Trust meetings over the years and brings significant experience in community involvement to the Board.

Also at the AGM Kerry O’Brien stepped down from chair after a productive year which has seen the review of the Community Strategy evolve into an exciting Action Plan and a number of Trustees involved in the intensive, energy and time-consuming series of Nutrient Limit Setting meetings being organised by the Selwyn Waihora Zone Committee.  A passionate windsurfer, Kerry is keen to focus his energy on seeing the recreation side of our Action Plan advanced, and made quite a hit with his presentation to the Nutrient Limit Setting Focus Groups recently on the need to ensure Lake water was of a standard that recreational users could feel safe to fall into!  As incoming chair I am very appreciative of the work that Kerry and the Board have put into the Trust over the year, one that has had particular challenges with the bedding in of the new co-governance arrangements between ECan and Ng?i Tahu which will be responsible for delivering much of the funding for the improvement in the Lake and its catchments that WET has striven for over the years.

John Lay stepped down as Deputy Chair of the Trust at the AGM.  John had always made it clear he only intended to be Deputy Chair for a year and his input on management committee has been very much appreciated. He and Peter Chamberlain will continue to work together on riparian restoration issues for the management committee.  Ruth Markham-Short brings her energy and planning, law and community organisational skills to the Deputy’s role.

There have been some remarkable achievements over the years and the continued support of Selwyn District Council, Environment Canterbury, Lincoln University, YHA, the Department of Conservation, the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Ministry for the Environment, Ng?i Tahu and many others who have provided financial, logistical or emotional support over the years has been essential to those achievements, but they would not have come to the party if the volunteers had not got the ball rolling and kept it rolling.

With this in mind the Board is increasing its efforts to provide opportunities for members to be involved in implementing the Action Plan and I encourage all members to have a look at the Action Plan to see if there is something that particularly excites you and that you feel you would like to help achieve.  There are already some exciting developments on the arts front and Adrienne is very happy to facilitate getting members together to work on areas of interest.

Finally, mark the 2^nd December in your diaries for a bring your own picnic get together to wrap up the year at the Lakeside Domain.  I hope to see many of you there.

Hamish Rennie
Chair