Our Trustees

Jane Brittenden and Matthew MacDonald
" I have been coming to Le Bons Bay since I was a baby, and have a strong family connection with the bay with my great grandfather having built one of the first baches at the beach. After spending lots of my younger years travelling and living in more congested parts of the world, the peace and beauty of Le Bons always hit me on returning home. I am passionate about this opportunity to be kaitiaki to protect this special place for future generations."

"My association with Le Bons Bay began 25 years ago when I met my wife Jane who has an even longer association with Le Bons. My desire to leave a lasting legacy has driven me to help begin this trust and the process of bringing this piece of land back to its former natural state. I hope that this Trust is the foundation of future work for the bay to making it an even better place for my children and anyone else who wants to enjoy this beautiful place."

Gary Brittenden
" I have become a Trustee because I believe that we need to find ways of improving our environment. We need think globally and find ways to act locally. My connections to Le Bons Bay go back to the 1880's when my Great Grandfather worked on the local sawmill. My Grandfather built the first bach on the beachfront. The bay has given our family so much over the years. For me this is a chance to give something back."

Charlotte Gordon
"I was born and raised in Christchurch and now live in Auckland with my husband Ben and three children Gabriel, Camilo and Ursula. I work for Belong Aotearoa, a not-for-profit that works with the migrant and refugee community of Auckland. My family have a long connection with Le Bons Bay, since my parents Elizabeth and Derry Gordon, along with good family friends Kath Bennett and Graeme Hollobon rented (and later owned) the Old Wharf Road property and 'Peppercorn Cottage' from local owner Mel Elliot and restored it to a liveable state. The cottage was sadly destroyed in a devastating weather event in December 2021. I hope to continue my family's legacy and connection with Le Bons through membership of the LBBCT."

Carol Osgood
"I moved to live full time in Le Bons Bay about 19 years ago. Le Bons is special for is people, it flora and fauna and its location. I meet people every week who have had a special experience in the bay, and who recognise it as a ‘Wildside’ treasure. This is the perfect opportunity for people to secure, and make accessible to all, a beautiful piece of much loved land, and to be kaitiaki (guardians) for future generations, to tie into existing projects to protect the freshwater and creatures of the area."

Ciaran Murray
"I am originally from Ireland, but have called Le Bons home for nearly 20 years. As a relatively new citizen to Aotearoa, to be able to participate in a project to protect and preserve a small piece of this beautiful landscape, is a real privilege. Le Bons certainly has the extended community to work together to achieve a lofty goal like this. The land endures."

Richard Hall
" This is a truly special place that captivates and leaves a lasting mark on all who visit here. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a time when the places we visited and enjoyed were largely pristine and unspoilt. This place has been good to my wife and I and I am passionate about doing what I can to make it better than it was when I found it so that future generations can also enjoy the tranquillity and remarkable natural beauty that it offers."

Ian Armstrong
" I was born in Akaroa and grew in Le Bons Bay. At that time there was very little native bush in the bay due to farming practises of the time. Farms were small and every acre needed to be productive. My family left the bay when I was 12 years old, but it has always been my tūrangawaewae, my place to call home. Returning to the bay as a bach owner five years ago has felt like completing the circle. The sense of community is as strong as ever, but the most striking thing for me, is to see the widespread areas of regenerating native bush. So, I am delighted to be involved in this conservation project and believe it will prove to be a wonderful asset for residents and visitors alike."

Ben Stock
"I was introduced to Le Bons Bay by my wife who spent her family summers here as a child. Now, our own family is fortunate to spend our holiday here. Le Bons, for whatever reason, strikes a very special chord with us and for those we share it with.We have an opportunity to allow a piece of marginal land to revert into a real treasure for the benefit of the bay, the ecosystem it represents and for future generations who will share it. To be fortunate enough to join a passionate and ambitious group who are striving to make this happen - well, that's an exciting thought."

Katie Kingsthwaite
" My great grandfather built our bach in the 1940's using second hand materials from the war. I wonder if he ever imagined four generations later, our family would still be creating memories in the bay. Being on this Trust is a chance to honour the past, but also to do what I can, so in four generations time, my family and many others, will be making memories in a regenerated Le Bons Bay even more beautiful than it is now."