Background on Helene Ritchie
Helene was first elected to the Wellington City Council in 1977. In 1982 she instigated the city's nuclear weapon free zone.
Fran Wilde, Helene and Sonja Davies. Selling white poppies, Hiroshima Day 4 August 1983. Wellingtonians were proud of their nuclear-free city and very angry when their prominent sign was removed by Mayor Prendergast. (Both Evening Post)
Helene was the first woman Labour Leader on the Council, a position she held for six years.
1982 Evening Post
At the same time, she worked as a full-time psychologist in the Department of Education and chaired Wellington's Airport Authority and the national organisation of airport authorities. As a business woman, she was a long time member of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. She holds four postgraduate degrees and two diplomas in psychology, education, and business studies (dispute resolution).
Moa Point: Early days before the Clean Water Campaign was set up (Evening Post)
During her time as Labour Leader, she initiated Wellington's Moa Point sewage campaign.
She co-led with Sir Guy Powles a deputation to the Governor General, Sir David Beattie, expressing concern about civil disruption in New Zealand, racism and Apartheid, and asking for the 1981 Springbok tour to be stopped.
Helene, Sir Guy Powles and Archbishop Tom Williams at Government House (Evening Post)
Saving Wellington's historic Town Hall from demolition was also a priority of the Labour Team of the early 1980s.
Helene was deputy mayor to (Sir) Jim Belich. (Sir) Michael Fowler and Helene: leading a deputation to Parliament (Evening Post)
Helene became Wellington's first woman deputy mayor in 1986. During that time, she chaired the highly successful civic centre project - the heart of the Capital - and held all key portfolios of the council.
Today, Helene is a Wellington City Councillor and Health Board member.
She has two children and two grandchildren.
Recently, she fought a successful battle against breast cancer and now-resolved grief issues brought on by the death of her husband Peter in 2001. Today she is strong, fit and well.
Helene loves the outdoors and natural environment. She's a strong skier and swimmer, does yoga, and walks and tramps with the Tararua Tramping Club or other friends or on her own. She enjoys classical and other forms of music, sings in the Wellington Community Choir and with a Trade Union women's choir - Choir Choir Pants on Fire.
She loves to sing, to laugh, to dance.
Helene with Sherrill, Tim and Miri.
Helene lived in the Northern Suburbs for most of her life with her husband and family. Today her home is in the heart of the City, surrounded by world class cafes, film and theatre, and overlooking the waterfront, harbour and hills of this amazing and special City - One Wellington.