Robin Philipp - XŌtaki College Alumni Trust Hall of Fame 2026 (Friends & Supporters)

 

 Kia Ora Ladies & Gentlemen and students of Otaki College

On behalf of the X-Otaki College Alumni Trust and the many other organisations within our local community and surrounding districts which have received funding from the Philipp Family Foundation it gives me much pleasure in acknowledging Dr Robin Philipp, principal and founder of PFF for his immense generosity and continued support to so many.

While unable to be here in person today, Robin is with us in spirit and he and his wife Fiona will be receiving a video of today’s event in due course.

I received an email from Robin overnight with this brief message:

“I feel especially honoured to today being included in the XOtaki College Hall of Fame. Here this evening and on a table beside me I have set out the framed certificate, the College plaque and the College tie – 10pm and with the temperature right now at 32 degrees C it's too hot to wear the tie!”

Representing Robin’s philanthropic trust today we have Robin Buxton, Jenny & Peter Sherwin and Irene Mackel. Irene is well known to our local community.

Robin is a kiwi but has been resident in Bristol, England for the last 43 years. Until ill health prevented him, Robin travelled to New Zealand regularly and stayed at Lark Rise, his much loved 10 acre property in Sims Road, Te Horo. This part of NZ is very special to Robin and is where his philanthropy has been most felt.

In 2015 Cathy Strong and I had contacted Ray & Irene Mackel about the possibility of obtaining funding for the Friends of the Otaki River, and were told our timing was perfect as Robin was currently visiting Lark Rise, leaving for Bristol the next day.  Cathy and I went to Lark Rise to find Robin in his element, enjoying rural life, tending to a large fire of tree prunings with the late Ray Mackel. Robin with a pitchfork in his hand and wearing a well worn T-shirt full of holes and with sweat on his brow told us of the PFF motto:  “Everything in Life is Connected”.

 Robin was very sympathetic to our request for funding a planting on the Otaki River for Te Horo School. FOTOR subsequently received a huge amount of support from PFF and without Robin’s support it would have taken FOTOR far longer to achieve the results it has – not just plantings but a picnic area at the estuary, an arboretum on the Chrystall’s Bend walkway, an information kiosk, and extensions to the nursery where the trees to be planted are raised.oro Horo

Over a period of time Robin and I built a close working relationship and as then Chair of the X-Otaki Alumni Trust I was able to introduce Robin and his trustees to Otaki College. The first project was the Te Whare Hui followed by solar panels, scholarships, counselling services and the all-weather canopy. These major projects have all made Otaki College a better place for pupils to help further their education.

While all these projects were happening for Otaki College and FOTOR the PFF has been supporting and making generous funding available to many other entities as follows:

•  Otaki Surf Lifesaving
• Otaki Volunteer Fire Brigade
• Te Horo Volunteer Fire Brigade
• Toi Mahara
• Nga Manu
• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Te Reto Trust
• Kapiti Concert Orchestra
• Otaki Food Bank
• Otaki Heritage
• Kids Books
• Otaki Toy Library
• Te Horo Hall
• Otaki Pottery Club
• Friends of the Otaki Rotunda
• Pest Free Otaki

 There are representatives from most of these organisations here today, and I thank them for rightfully acknowledging the helping hand they have received.

Last year my wife Debbie and I travelled to England and visited Robin in Bristol. We had such a great time being shown the sights in and around the town and were fortunate to be invited to Robin and Fiona’s home where I was able to present Robin with the certificate and other gifts from the College. We also had the opportunity to take some video footage which you will view now…

(Inducted by Max Lutz)