New resident spreading the word — ‘lovely'
An Auckland woman who has moved to Dunedin is making it her mission to tell people how lucky they are to live here.
After living in the super-city for 35 years, Deborah Hull-Brown, 72, made the trek south and fell firmly in love with Dunedin nearly two years ago.
Ms Hull-Brown now hosts an Otago Access Radio (OAR) show Super City — a celebration of interests, events and support for seniors.
"What I'm trying to do with the radio programme is say 'it's a lovely place to live'," she said.
Ms Hull-Brown moved to Dunedin after her mother, who she had cared for for eight years, died.
"I was thinking, 'where am I going to live?'
"I can't afford to live in Auckland, I can't bear the traffic in Auckland, and also, Auckland doesn't feel like a community, [it] is a series of suburbs."
In contrast, she had found Dunedin cheaper, with greater access to nature, and she had "discovered cheese rolls".
"It was finances, but it was community ... you've really got everything down here."
She had leapt at the opportunity to volunteer with organisations across the city, including Age Concern and teaching English to refugees.
Super City was an opportunity to share her joy at living in Dunedin with others, she said.
"[To] find out what else is going on and just share it with everybody.
"I'm just trying to inspire people who maybe sit at home a bit too much in their 60s, 70s and 80s to actually think, 'oh, maybe I could go out and do that'."
So far, her show had covered topics like wills and volunteering — she hoped to be a point of connection for older people in the city, she said.
ruby.shaw@odt.co.nz
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