Hillary House Leadership Centre completion

Robin Houlker is deputy chair of the Hillary House Leadership Centre and is coordinating the Give-A-Little Campaign. She was instrumental in finding companies to assist with providing materials for the rebuild of Hillary House and has been a trustee since 2013.

I think it all comes down to motivation.

If you really want to do something, you will work hard for it. Edmund Hillary

We are looking for generous New Zealanders who are proud of their heritage and want to preserve a genuine legacy.

After 5 years of fundraising, and support from businesses and sponsors a small trust (Hillary House Leadership Trust) opened Sir Edmund Hillary’s old home as a Leadership Centre in Auckland on May 29th 2014. The vision of the Trust is that the house will become a focal place for leadership development in the spirit of Sir Ed’s achievements in conquering the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest on 29th May 1953. It is also becoming a special place where memorabilia, books, and items about Sir Ed’s achievements can be seen.

Our campaign is to enable us to finish the house, including completing our Code of Compliance and so we are seeking help from the public. This will enable us to provide blinds and window shades, signage, establishment of a website, and to develop educational and promotional resources for visitors to the centre to learn about its history and the achievements of Sir Ed.

During our fundraising journey, with the support of Remuera Rotary, we held a Buy a Hillary Brick Campaign. It is now your opportunity when you donate $350 or more to receive one limited authentic brick from Sir Ed’s study in a wooden commemorative box. This will be couriered directly to you with its Certificate of Authenticity. Furthermore, if you donate between $250 and 350, you will receive a brick from the house (without the box) but with a certificate also. This brick will also be couriered directly to you.

Sir Ed and his wife, Louise built the house in Remuera in 1956 and in the move to a site within the campus of Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate School in Otara, the house has remained very close to the original design. It has been a long journey since the house was cut into sections following a blessing, stored while funding was sourced and approvals gained for the re-siting and then for re-construction to begin in 2013. The photos below show some of the journey.

Lady June Hillary, Peter and Sarah and other family have generously donated some memorabilia and once the house is fully completed there will be opportunities for the public to visit this special place.