10/10/2026
🙂 SATURDAY CELEBRITY CHAT - ROBIN BOLDARIN 🙂
This week’s celebrity guest is our longstanding Justice of the Peace, Robin Boldarin. Robin has been working Thursdays at the Centre for quite a while now, and she has a long trail of other volunteer activities, both past and ongoing.
Wellington born and raised, Robin describes herself as a “city slicker”. She grew up on Lorne Street, between Cambridge Terrace and Tory Street. Her career began as a school secretary, during which time she also coached netball, softball, and relay running. In 1993 she jumped ship from the schools and became a secretary for the local MPs, starting with Annette King and later Paul Eagle.
She’s now been a JP for 33 years; a role which offers “complete power” she says half-jokingly. In seriousness, she finds it quite rewarding, and folks appreciate her help. Sometimes they ask if they can offer her anything, and she answers “A smile and a thank you”.
In addition to her JP work, she’s also Chair of a local Stroke Club, the Eastern Zone sports association, Chair of the Miramar-Mapuia Progressive Association, Chair of Grey Power Wellington South East. At one stage she was the Chair of the parents’ association at St Catherine’s College; and Secretary of both the Friends of the Wellington Town Belt and Seatoun Arts and Crafts. Oh, and also Chair of our Management Committee in the past.
You’re probably not surprised to learn that Robin doesn’t have a lot of free time, or that she received a Queen’s Service Medal for her outstanding community service.
Robin’s favourite thing about the Centre is its openness. “You don’t feel like a stranger here.” she relays to me. “And Kilbirnie is a good working community.”
Aside from us, her favourite local space is the Cupcake Cafe & Bakery. Her daughter works locally, she gets to visit her often over coffee and pastries.
