Deb Humphries was the recent winner of the Soroptimist International North Shore Women’s Leadership Award. She was presented with a certificate and a $500 cheque made out to her choice of charity, Takapuna North Community Trust, for a project promoting youth leadership in digital wellbeing. This month, Channel catches up with her to learn more of her community life...

What do you love most about living in Torbay?

I love the opportunities to connect with community conscious residents. We have a strong Facebook community group in Torbay, which promotes good stuff happening locally and is also quick to support when people are in need or have highlighted issues re community wellbeing and safety.

How long have you lived here?

We moved from the UK in 1981, initially to Devonport (Dad was in the Navy) and found our family home in Torbay to settle in. We lived in that house for 18 years so became embedded in our ‘home away from home’.

I then flatted in Torbay for many years, dabbing my toe in Rothesay Bay, but always returning. We finally purchased our first home in Torbay last year – a mammoth achievement!

What activities or organisations are you involved with? Why are you passionate about these?

I work with Auckland North Community and Development to coordinate the North Shore Family Violence Prevention Network, Child Focus Group and Safer Whanau Project. This has included coordinating bullying prevention and youth cyber safety projects.

I am passionate about this work because we have a huge opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those who have experienced family violence. I have the privilege of working with an incredible team of agencies and individuals who strive to improve the wellbeing of our local community. A community that is often perceived as being affluent and without needs. It is true, our local community has many strengths and assets that could be of huge benefit but we also have hidden poverty, deprivation and inequality. (Our challenge is to explore how we can connect these two things better!)

Long Bay Primary School is another awesome community our family is very lucky to be a part of.

I am also an avid member of our local dog walking community – the benefits of animals to wellbeing is huge!

What else might you be involved with if you had more time?

I would love to connect more with our East Coast Bays Community Project and the fantastic community development activities and events it coordinates.

Tell us about a place that is a secret gem in Torbay?

I love Winstones Cove and Ladder Bay in olde Torbay. They hold special memories of connecting with childhood friends and going on adventures…when the pace of life was a little less hectic and technology didn’t distract us so much from the beauty of nature that surrounds us!

Do you have a favourite local event that you look forward to each year?

We always try to connect with the annual Browns Bay Santa Parade. It is a fantastic example of the beauty of community development and culminates with a gala of great food, music and entertainment at the beach!

If you could change one aspect about your suburb what would it be?

I would love for our streets to be as safe for our little people to cycle on as when I enjoyed them in my childhood. The more opportunities we create for kids to connect offline, the better.

Who would you most like to have as a neighbour and why?

The neighbours I have now are awesome! Getting to know your neighbours can be such an incredible support network. There is a very cool campaign called Neighbours Day which encourages just this, you can find all the details about it here: www.neighboursday.org.nz.