Christine Fernyhough

Christine Mary Fernyhough (nee Don) is a New Zealand farmer, philanthropist and author. In 1999 Fernhough was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education and the community. In 2011 she was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the community.

Life

Fernyhough was the second of three children of Angus and Gladys Don, and grew up in Auckland, where she attended the Diocesan School for Girls. Fernyhough went to secretarial college, and then had three children with her first husband.

In 1994 Fernyhough and Alan Duff co-founded the Duffy Books in Homes scheme, using commercial sponsorship and government support. The scheme aims to alleviate poverty and illiteracy by providing low-cost books to underprivileged children, thus encouraging them to read. By 2008, the scheme delivered 5 million books to schools around New Zealand. Despite not having any farming background, Fernyhough made a success of the station, selling it ten years later in 2014 to move back to Parnell. Fernyhough wrote a memoir about life at the station, The Road to Castle Hill, published in 2011. The book is considered to have 'spawning a category of high country sheep station books' by publisher Nicola Legat. Fernyhough went on to write three children's books based on life at Castle Hill.

Fernyhough married Dress Smart founder John Bougen in 2008. The marriage ended in 2015.

Fernyhough was the patron of a boot camp for unemployed young people, called the Limited Service Volunteers programme, run at Burnham Military Camp.

Honours and awards In the 1999 Queen's Birthday Honours Fernyhough was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education and the community. In the 2011 New Year Honours Fernyhough was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the community.

Selected works