John Hackett is the Chairman of the Eastern Bays Hospice Trust Board. He is 54 years old and a partner in an Intellectual Property Law firm. Originally from Wellington, he moved to Auckland with his young family in 1991, and since then they have lived in the Eastern Suburbs. John enjoys being involved in community groups and was a member of the Rotary Club of St Johns for 17 years, including a term as President, and also a district leader on the Rotary Youth Leader Award programme.

John still clutches to the straws of youth by going on hiking expeditions - Everest Base Camp and Mt Kilimanjaro are recent ones. On the horizon are posiible trips to Antarctica, India, and cycling tours of Cuba, Vietnam/Cambodia. He plays golf (averagely!) , snow skis (dangerously out of control!) and anything else that his dodgy knees will allow him to! His "young" family now comprises James (20), Jeremy (24) and Kate (28). He and his wife Alison have been married 30 years and this year will become grandparents when Kate has her first baby.

John enjoys the challenges of being part of the Eastern Bays HospiceTrust Board, even more so now that he is President. His goal is to be part of a group of community minded people who take the EBH to further heights in providing a great community service. "It is an exciting and challenging time, and we have a great team, both on the Board and in out management. We are ready to grow our services even further".

Richard Yates
Richard joined the board of Eastern Bys Hospice late in 2002 so has been very involved in the spectacular growth of the organisation ever since. He has a history in "Not-for-Profit" organisations having been President of Auckland Crippled Children Society (now CCS), Chairman of Auckland Civic Trust (an environmental body) and a member of Rotary Club of Auckland for more than 30 years. Richard has also been closely involved in politics for many years finally retiring as a vice president of the NZ National Party in 2000.

He has been in business for himself for many years and currently is the Managing Director of Textile Bonding Ltd with 50% ownership. This compnay, which has a staff of more than 40, exports black-out curtain linings all over the world. Besides New Zealand, major customers are in Australia, USA, UK, several countries Europe and three countries in South East Asia.

Richard has been a director of two publicly listed companies and on the board of the NZ Lotteries Commission. He is currrently on the board of two private companies beside his own.

Richard has been married to Joylyn for 46 years and they have three adult children and seven grandchildren. Apart from his family, Richard's interests include: golf ( a very poor player), music (classical and modern), business, their 3 acre property at the Bay of Islands and the boats that go with it. The one vice he admits to is coffee - a double shot macchiato and plenty of them!

Gary Key
We are very fortunate to have Gary as a new member of our Board. Gary is a 'local' having been educated at Selwyn College, and still living in the area. Gary has owned and operated a very large and successful business so brings to Eastern Bays Hospice a host of management and business skills. Gary's community spirit is evident not only in his passion for the work of EBH, but also his activities as a member of St John's Rotary Club.

Gary is married to Hannah and they have two adult sons. He is a keen outdoorsman, plays golf - but would like to better - and has a real love of sailing.

Ian McCallum
Ian has a special interest in the strategic direction of Eastern Bays Hospice. He has the opportunity these days to put a little back into the community from which he perceives he has got much benefit, as his commercial activities are sustantially less these days. His more than 40 years of commercial life, which includes 30 years running his own companies, has given him the background to provide to the Board the experience he has consequently gained. This includes executive membership of the Industry Associations with which his companies have been associated.

A Freemason, having been so for some 30 years and a Past Master of his lodge, Ian is currently Chairman of 'The Freemasons of Auckland Almoners Association', which is a group that provides support to the Almoners of each Masonic Lodge in Auckland.

Ian is married to Jemma and has 3 children and 5 grandchildren. His recreational interests include blue water sailing when the opportunity arises; golf and cabinet making.

Stephen Poole
Stephen was a founding member of the Eastern Bays Hospice Foundation Trust. He is passionately dedicated to Eastern Bays Hospice, having been a board member since 1996 and served six years as immediate past Chairman. He has an active interest in the Bay's community. He is a JP and has been a member of the Rotary Club of Auckland East Inc, for 28 years, having served a term as president.

Stephen is retired. He worked for 45 years in a family business with shipping and waterfront interests, during which time he served as a director and chairman of companies in the group, and associated employment and management organisations working with the Governments of the day on Port Reform, Privatization of Harbour Boards and the Employment Contracts Act. During that time he was a founding director of the Ports of Auckland.

Stephen is married to Joan, who has been involved as a volunteer at Eastern Bays Hospice. They have three adult children and seven grandchildren. He keeps active with family involvement, gym routines, cycling, tramping, below average golf, travel (particularly adventure tours), politics, architecture, motor racing, music and an involvememnt in other charitable trusts.

Isabella Tedcastle
Isabella's late husband who was alive at the time, gave his support when Isabella became part of a team to set up a hospice in the Eastern Bays. As a founding Trustee and as a volunteer, Isabella has been a participant from the first fundraising event, in many aspects of the Hospice as it has developed. She has always looked to be informed and educated to keep abreast with her outlook both locally and globally on palliative care perspectives.

Isabella's interests have seen her involvement in a variety of community based activities and Human Right issues. Some araes where she is currently involved are the Pacific Womens Watch ansd she is the  Auckland Area Representative for the Plunket Society at the National Council of Women. She is an active participant and elder of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand and  member of Rotary.

Isabella enjoys time with family and friends; entertaining people to stay; the outdoors and the challenge of exercise. She is interested in sport, travel and a number of the Arts, but equally ready to relax with a good book - if she ever has time!

Helen Wallace
For a number of years now, since retiring from corporate life, Helen has been one of the army of volunteers who works for the Eastern Bays Hospice, first but briefly, by helping out on reception at Dove House, and then by cooking morning tea and lunch for Wednesday's day stay patirnts. She finds it a priviledge to work alongside so many people dedicated to ensuring that the service provided by our hospice is available to all members of the community who may need it.

Helen is a keen bowler player at Glendowie Women's Bowling Club, where she is a member of the Executive. She is also Deputy Chair of the Eastern Bays Community Board. All of these things are still quite new to Helen, as she was in the workforce until the end of 2002, however she greatly enjoys being part of our special local community.

Helen is married to Grant and they have two adult children and two grandchildren with another one soon to be born at the beginning of April. They are looking forward to meeting him.

Graeme Kidd
Dr Graeme Kidd is married to Felicity with two adult children. He has lived in Auckland for most of his life and he and Felicity currently have a home in Newmarket. He describes his interests as movies, skiing and gardening.

He graduated in 1973 from Otago University and is a fellow of the Royal College of GP's. He has had a general practice in Howick for 30 years, 20 of those with a special interest in Obstetrics and the last 10 in palliative care, working for South Auckland Hospice as a Medical Officer.

Graeme also has a special interest in holistic medicine, including holistic therapies, quantum physics and integral medicine. Over a number of years he has held seminars in 'Wellness' for the corporate sector, 'Holistic Wellbeing' for the Cancer Society and lectured on 'Palliative Care' at the Auckland Medical School for post-graduate nurses. Graeme has been on the Eastern Bays Hospice Board of Trustees since late 2008.

Tim Willis
Born and raised in Mt Eden, Tim completed his formal education at Auckland University, where he distinguished himself by not joining any of the protest groups which were rife at the time. His interest in law led him to jobs in various law firms, including a year in Whakatane's sunny atmosphere. This was followed by the obligatory O.E., which left him with the desire, but not the wherewithal to travel a lot more. A bachelor life finally came to an end with marriage to Julie, presently nursing at Starship Hospital, and three children followed who are still teaching their father lots about life.

Tim used to play the piano BC (before Children) but still enjoys music, jogging and his own law practice in St Heliers. It was here that some years ago the local entity Tom Barton accosted him one day on Tamaki Drive and suggested a Hospice Trust deed needed drafting for the fledging organisation. Tim has been with the Trust ever since, and has enjoyed watching its recent growth and success.