OTHC bids farewell to 112 years of service2 min read

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One Tree Hill College have said farewell to three long-service staff members who have given a combined 112 years of dedication and expertise to the school.

Husband and wife Len and Anila Nelson, along with Merv Betteridge are closing a chapter and are retiring.

Len and Anila arrived in New Zealand from South Africa in 1990, on a visitor’s visa. Len found a job as a PE teacher at Penrose College (now One Tree Hill College), and a year later Anila joined the staff in the attendance office.

Over the years, their roles changed. Anila moved to the printing room, supporting the staff and managing photocopying.

Len studied for a Teaching English as a Second Language Diploma while working fulltime, and for 20 years, he was instrumental in helping children with English.

For Len, helping children with little or no English skills progress and succeed through school is one of the greatest rewards as a teacher – especially when one became headgirl in her final year. Anila loved the people they worked with and the culture of the school.

Merv Betteridge’s career at the college spans an incredible 45 years. He started teaching Science, Chemistry and Maths; and was appointed deputy principal in 1995. Apart from a brief teaching stint in Melbourne, he held the position until May 2020.

He continued teaching to the end of 2020, and took on a parttime role as property manager. Merv had planned to retire at the end of 2020, but Covid disrupted his plans to travel the world. Instead, he stayed on as the school’s fulltime property manager and oversaw key projects, including a new $1.4 million canopy over the school’s astroturf.

With this final project completed and the turf in use, Merv felt the time has finally come to retire.