Adrienne Nairn, serial fundraiser
Taupō’s Adrienne Nairn could charitably be described as a serial fundraiser.
But now she’s on another mission – a film version of her autobiographical book ‘My Brother, My Enemy’.
And she’s pursuing this with the same sort of vigour she has exhibited in raising more than $20,000 for Hato Hone St John, Budget Advice, Lake Taupō Hospice, Greenlea Rescue Helicopter, Age Concern and more – partially through selling copies of her self-published books.
While the drive to give back to St John was inspired by having to rely on their services during two major incidents – an epidural abscess five years ago and then a benign brain tumour a year ago – her motivation to get into movies has come about because of a minor support role in ‘The Rule of Jenny Pen’.
‘Jenny Pen’, a horror based on an Owen Marshall story, was filmed in Taupō, Wellington and Lower Hutt in 2023 and is set to be released in March.
Chosen as an extra along with 40-45 other locals, Adrienne was down for 10 days filming but then had her “little ding dong” as she calls the seizure resulting from her brain tumour and could only be on set for four.
“Anyway, being in that was so exciting and people in Taupō did get really excited about it, so the next thing on my agenda is a film,” said the 76-year-old.
She has used social media sites to find English film directors who have put her on to other directors who haven’t responded, she’s lunched with a New Zealand film director and writer who is too busy at the moment, approached head of Sky Originals – no reply, spoken to a local film-maker who’s also got something else in the offing just now … but you get the sense she will persevere.
“Everybody comes back and says ‘Yes, I'd love to jump on the back of anyone...’ They just don't want to take it on as a whole and I know nothing about planning a film. I know nothing about writing books. I've had help with everything.
“I'd love to do it in Taupo. I really, really would.”
Meantime Adrienne is shrugging off the glow from a Priory Vote of Thanks from St John presented last year for her fundraising efforts, negotiating the publication and release of a book about her father ‘First 24th Lancer on the Beach at D-Day - The Life and Legacy of Maurice Lobb’ hopefully coinciding with the anniversary of D-Day (June 6), and revelling in the fact she is just visible in one of the trailers for ‘The Rule of Jenny Pen’.
And she never tires from promoting St John.
“I don't think people realize that there's a health shuttle... And it's not just for taking you to Waikato or Rotorua. I mean they'll take you to the eye clinic in Rotorua… I would have loved to have raised enough money for another health shuttle because they do need one.
“And joining Saint John as well. I don't think people realize that if you call out an ambulance it's $98 for a call out … So, if you joined St John, you know, have as many rides as you want honey.”
And in Adrienne’s case that’s the voice of lived experience.