It is with great sadness that the Chair and Trustees of the Whakatipu Community Hub Charitable Trust pays tribute to our founder, past chair and dear friend John MacDonald. John succumbed to Multiple System Atrophy (a rare neurodegenerative disorder) on Saturday, surrounded by friends and family.
John had a vision to create a community owned facility that would offer security and affordability to local charity, social and community groups. He created the Whakatipu Community Hub Charitable Trust in 2019 to achieve this aim.
John collected a team around him and brought strong business acumen, governance experience, extensive local knowledge, pragmatic decision-making skills and lived experience of the health system to the project. While failing health forced him to retire from a number of positions, he remained involved as a Hub Trustee right up to this summer. He advocated for his vision with his very last few breaths – urging the trust to use his passing to promote the hub concept and fundraise for its delivery.
His final wishes were at his celebration of life on the 28th March at Lake Hayes Pavillion to sought donations for the Hub in lieu of flowers and that the opportunity to seek philanthropic funds were pursued while people gathered.
It was a privilege to work alongside John and be part of his vision for our community. A generous, companionable and witty human, his presence is already sorely missed.
The Trust is committed to ensuring his legacy endures through the Whakatipu Hub, which will serve as a permanent space to uplift and strengthen our community.
Our thoughts are with John’s family, friends and colleagues as we mourn his loss.
Hamish Wilton