Tena koutou katoa,
Ko wai au? Nō Ingarangi me Kōtirana ōku tūpuna
Ko Alice Springs te kohanga toku pāpā
Ko London te kohanga toku māmā
Ko Stoke-on-Trent toku kohanga
I tae mai ōku whānau ki Aotearoa i te tau tahi mano, iwa rau, whitu tekau ma waru
I tipu ake au ki te Awakairangi ki uta, nā reira, ko Cannon’s Point te puke te rū nei taku ngakau
Ko te awakairangi te awa e mahea nei aku māharahara
Ko Te Whānua Tupu Ngātahi o Aotearoa ōku ūkaipō
Nō Waihopai toku tane, e Brendon.
Toko ono ō māua tamariki
Ko Ruth Jones au.
Who am I?
My ancestors came from England and Scotland.
My dad was born in Alice Springs.
My mum was born in London.
I was born in Stoke-on-Trent.
My family came to New Zealand in 1978.
I grew up in Upper Hutt, so Cannon’s Point is the hill that speaks to my heart
The awakairangi river alleviates my worries.
I was nutured by Playcentre.
My husband Brendon comes from Invercargill
We have 6 children.
I am Ruth Jones.
I have been involved in Playcentre at varying levels for nearly 21 years since our eldest was about 18nmths old: at Centre, Association, National meetings, Governance and Operations. I am honoured to have been a federation officer for Tāngata Tiriti and Te Whare Tikanga Māori, and a Life Member of Wallaceville Playcentre in Upper Hutt.
Most recently I was on the Trustee Board, and Co-President alongside Avis Stewart. At our Board meetings we would often reflect on how our centres are and should continue to be at the centre of every decision we make, so my children and I made a LEGO Playcentre to sit on the table, be a visceral reminder of our centres across the motu.
We would also use the analogy of “all being on the Playcentre bus together” – this is the way we do things, this is where we are going, everybody is welcome on the Playcentre bus, but it’s also ok to get off the bus.
When I started at the National Service Centre in recent weeks, I bought the LEGO Playcentre with me for my desk. I found a LEGO Bus to sit alongside the Centre, a reminder of the different parts of our beloved organisation, Te Whānau Tupu Ngatāhi o Aotearoa – Playcentre.
Our Centres are still at the forefront of my mind with all the decisions I need to make. What is best for them? How is what I am doing here and now, being of service to them?
I am looking forwarding to supporting our Regional Managers and their teams to support our centres to survive and thrive so that Playcentre is a valid option for all New Zealand whānau.
Thank you to all those who have supported me on my journey so far, and those who have welcomed me into my new role.