We’re sad to see the departure from Kerikeri Retirement Village this month of our chaplain and long-time friend Jan Gough. When we say “long-time” we really mean it; Jan has been our chaplain for the past twenty years but also worked here as a diversional therapist for 17 years from October 1991. All in all, that’s 28 years of dedication wrapped up in one magnificent lady.
When Jan came to live in Kerikeri with her husband and disabled foster-son her intention at that stage, believe it or not, was to retire. Tragically, her son died and Jan wanted something to keep her busy. She applied to the Village for a job and was accepted as a care worker.
And so started her long association with us. Very soon she decided to train as a diversional therapist. She was one of the first people in New Zealand to obtain the National Certificate in Diversional Therapy, and also one of the first to become a Registered and Qualified Diversional Therapist. As soon as all that was under her belt she set about establishing a diversional therapy department in our Care unit.
New passions and interests have seen Jan expand and extend her role with us over and over again. Training, local community liaison, fund-raising and funding co-ordination, dementia care – all these and more have come under Jan’s wing over the years.
She’s a great organiser, is Jan. We are indebted to her for the thousands of hours she has put into organising hundreds of events here at the Village. ANZAC Day, Father’s Day, Queen’s Birthday, Christmas Parades, Christmas pantos, activities for our residents… the list is exhausting, if not exhaustive.
As our chaplain it is supremely fitting that Jan was the driving force behind the construction of our wonderful Ted Robinson Memorial Chapel. As a Charitable Company our ability to undertake infrastructure projects is largely reliant on donations from generous benefactors. One day Jan was speaking with Mr Robinson about the spiritual wellbeing of our residents and how fulfilling and useful it would be to have a chapel here. It wasn’t long after that that Mr Robinson put up the funding for the construction of the chapel and played his part in answering Jan’s prayer.
Jan has played a vital role in Ministering to our wee flock here at the Village. She’s a well-known and greatly-loved figure around the place but now, at the ripe old age of 80 years, it’s time for her to revisit that idea of retirement that she abandoned nearly three decades ago.
There is no way we can put a value on the love, care, commitment and dedication she has poured into our place, and our people, over her three decades with us. Thank you, Jan; enjoy your years of richly-deserved retirement.
