In August 2021, the Outward Bound whānau mourned the passing of our patron and founder, Sir David Levene.
“It’s hard to imagine someone who embodies our kaupapa more than Sir David,” says Outward Bound chief executive Malindi MacLean. “For the past 60 years he has contributed so much and had a deep wana, or passion, for what we do.”
Sir David has said many times that his involvement with Outward Bound has been one of the most rewarding aspects of his life.
It’s an involvement spanning more than six decades, starting in 1960 when he met with Sir Woolf Fisher and Sir Roy Mackenzie who shared with him their vision to set up an Outward Bound school in New Zealand, and who encouraged him to become involved.
While Sir David didn’t initially know much about Outward Bound at the time, what he did like was the idea of people reaching their potential and being in control of their future. His love of people remained a driving passion for him throughout his life.
“Sir David continually stressed the importance of people and shared with us many stories of his relationship with his team at Levenes. From the factory floor to management, everyone was important to him and he had time for everyone.
He told our team on several occasions to remember we were important, the work we are doing is important, and to treat others with respect. He was a generous, gregarious, astute man. He held genuine mana.” says Outward Bound Fundraising & Partnerships Manager Karla Paotonu.
Dave Tibby, CEO of the Levene Group and former Outward Bound chair was a close friend of Sir David’s. He echoes the sentiment about him being a people person.
“David saw what Outward Bound could do for people. He loved talking about the virtues of Outward Bound to anyone who would listen! He was a great supporter of the organisation and spread the good news whenever and wherever he could. He gave it his all.”
The establishment of the Outward Bound Foundation in 2002 may be Sir David’s most celebrated achievement for Outward Bound.
The Foundation was created to safeguard the Outward Bound Trust, ensuring the school remains relevant and responsive to New Zealand society and can be supported in perpetuity.
Sir David personally contributed and encouraged others to contribute. Starting with nothing, he helped to build the Foundation up from scratch, and today it is worth more than $19 million.
“Getting the Foundation off the ground was his passion,” recalls Dave. “It was a vehicle to ensure the ongoing survival of Outward Bound and it has certainly helped the school financially over many projects.”
Andrew Smith, a current Outward Bound board member and former chair, says he remembers a conversation with Sir David about funding options for the first Waka Ama. “In his positive and straight forward way, he suggested ‘why don’t you and I provide the funding?’ – it was only a suggestion and there was no obligation for me to agree, but as always, his generosity was infectious.”
Sir David’s impact on Outward Bound can also be seen in the eponymous Levene Lodge in Anakiwa, and in him receiving the Kurt Hahn award, the organisation’s highest honour.
“We honour Sir David’s legacy and are grateful for his unwavering support and belief in us all,” says Malindi.
OB alumni Marg Robinson has stayed true to the OB mantra ‘to serve, to strive and not to yield’. Over almost thirty years, Marg has been a long-serving and loyal volunteer who has saved Outward Bound in the region of $400K through her annual ‘working bees’. And this year, Marg is finally putting the tools down for retirement and leaving the job to the younger generation.
Marg attended the first girl’s course at Outward Bound in 1973. "They were low on numbers and decided to take girls in 20 at a time.”
Returning to Anakiwa in 1984, she decided to repay her gratitude by volunteering hours of her service, along with a band of volunteers she brought each year with her from her hometown of Whānganui.
The Outward Bound programme was created during WWII and was designed to toughen up young British sailors, and to teach self-respect, initiative, compassion, tenacity and a genuine commitment to serving the community. Marg remains loyal to these philosophies and is a firm advocate for the life changing journey a course can offer individuals.
Since 1984, Robinson has helped or encouraged approximately 550 students to attend an Outward Bound course. Every student is encouraged to think about their relationship with their community and ways to give back on their return home. In 2002 Marg brought a group of young past students to help out on a working bee to remind them what they promised themselves. "These particular students were young and had been on an early Mind Body Soul course for 16-17 year olds. I wanted to refresh their ideas they had had about their future, themselves, relationships, service to others etc, as that can get a bit diluted once you return to normal life."
"Ahead of her trips Marg would send every person on the working bee a ‘To-Do’ list ahead of their arrival – she was organised and kept me very busy. Believe it or not, I will miss her lists!" says Vic.
As an architectural and landscape designer, Marg was tasked to work with the school at Anakiwa doing landscape design. The work she has done at Outward Bound over the years is of "the highest standard" says Vic, who estimates her work has saved the organisation in the region of $400,000.
Robinson organised the first working bee in 1993 with about 50 volunteers. In two days, the group planted 1200 trees all sourced from local nurseries.
"In 1998 the school’s eco wastewater treatment plant and wetland were created with another working bee of about 50 people" says Marg. "At the opening ceremony Sir Roy McKenzie named it the Margaret Sherriff Wetland – my maiden name."
Since then, the working bees have taken place most years. "Most of us take a day off work, normally on a long weekend." Her most memorable project was building a huge deck on the front of the lodge in 2019.
Whilst most working bees were 2-3 days, Robinson’s most recent and final organised working bee lasted eight days and involved 11 people working to upgrade the kitchen at the Te Kainga base. These included Harry Scoltock, who was on the first course at Anakiwa in 1962.
"Harry has been a participant since 2009 when we had 64 volunteers for a three-day gardening, tree clearing session at the school itself at Anakiwa. Harry is a very fit 77 year old young man making a huge contribution with his engineering skills." Marg is looking forward to contributing towards the 60th anniversary celebrations next year, and will always call in to Anakiwa when passing through on boating trips.
"I will forever promote Outward Bound in any way I can" she says.
Credit: Revised from original Stuff article by Helen Nickisson, Marlborough Saturday Express
Simon Graney - OB School Director, Marg Robinson, and Vic Koller - OB Maintenance Manager in the new kitchen at TK.
