National operations director of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Chelsea Routhan is passionate about community-based mentoring for young people. We catch up with her to learn what her other loves in life are.
At the weekend you’ll find me...
On the sportsfields with my whānau, either playing netball myself or supporting my 15 and 12 year olds play netball, football and hockey. Then in the evening, catching up with friends and whānau.
After work, you’ll find me...
Sitting at the kitchen bench with a gin in hand watching my hubby cook tea, talking about the day, helping the kids with projects, or snuggling our one year old golden retreiver, Ralph. He has stolen our hearts.
I’m going out for dinner to...
Nelson has some great choices for this – I don’t mind too much as long as I have great company. My top picks are Hopgoods, Nahm, Hawker House and Arden.
My real-life superpower is...
Cooking toast. On a Mother’s Day card my son wrote for me when he was about 7, it said, ‘the best thing my mum cooks is... toast’. Clearly, I am not the chef of the house.
When I need advice I go to...
My mum. She is pretty special. My dad passed away jet skiing off Tahuna when I was four, and Mum has been incredible supporting my siblings and I throughout life’s journey.
Something I learnt way later than I should have...
That you know what side the petrol cap is on a car by looking at the little arrow next to the fuel gauge.
The biggest risk I’ve ever taken...
I love adventure – bungee jumps, skydiving, parasailing, swings into canyons, arial obstacle courses – I have done them all.
The person who knows me best is...
My wonderful husband, Jon. We have been together since we were 14 and 16 at Nayland College, and I know this is cheesy, but he is absolutely my best friend.
I am most passionate about...
Big Brothers Big Sisters. This has been my mahi for 7 years now, it is something I truly believe in. There are so many tamariki across Aotearoa who are facing adversity and want and need a mentor in their life, and we can’t do that without the support of our incredible community. There are so many people in Nelson-Tasman who are so very generous with their time being a mentor, or giving money as regular donors or sponsors. You are gold and we couldn’t do what
we do without you.
