Sylvia Fausett

Sylvia Mary Ellen Fausett MNZM (née Letter; 4 April 1933 – 4 July 2024)^[1] was a New Zealand community worker. She was awarded a New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal, and in 1999 was appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the community.

Fausett was born in Islington, London, England, on 4 April 1933.^[1][2][3] In 1955, she married Robin Fausett in Edmonton, north London,^[4] and the couple went on to have two children.^[5]

After moving to New Zealand, Fausett became involved as a volunteer in a number of organisations through her children's activities.^[5] She was involved in Panmure Citizen's Advice Bureau, Plunket, Girl Guides, the creche at Howick Recreation Centre, and was both a committee member and chair of the Howick Road Activity Centre. The centre hosted after-school activities, although it began as a drop-in centre formed by Fausett.^[5] Fausett chaired the Mount Wellington Senior Citizens' Trust for ten years.^[2] Fausett also volunteered in educational activities such as Ministry of Education-funded programmes to improve numeracy and literacy, and was Tamaki Intermediate School music supervisor for twenty years.^[5] Fausett was the chair of the board of trustees for Tamaki Intermediate School and Tamaki College.^[2]

Fausett died in Auckland on 4 July 2024, aged 91.^[6]

Fausett was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal in 1993. The medal was awarded to people who had made a significant contribution to women's rights or women's issues in New Zealand.^[7] In the 2000 New Year Honours, Fausett was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the community.^[8] In 2005, she was one of six Aucklanders awarded a Mayor's Living Legend Award by Dick Hubbard.^[5]