Dame Dorothy Spotswood, of Wellington, DNZM for services to philanthropy
Dame Dorothy Spotswood, together with her partner Sir Mark Dunajtschik, has contributed to a range of philanthropic causes and charities for more than 50 years.
Sir Mark and Dame Dorothy donated $53 million to enable the build of Te Wao Nui (Wellington Children’s Hospital) in the Mark Dunajtschik and Dorothy Spotswood Building. She announced in 2025 that she would fund the base build of the Dorothy Spotswood Charity Hospital, Wellington, donating $10 million for the fitout. They have pledged funds for a mental health unit in Lower Hutt and a significant legacy gift through the Nikau Foundation. They were recognised with the New Zealand Legacy Award at the 2025 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards. In her own right, she has purchased land and funded several homes for Hōhepa Trust to help establish facilities in Kāpiti, allowing children and residents with intellectual disabilities to be cared for in the Wellington Region. She was acknowledged by Hōhepa at the opening of the Dorothy Spotswood Village in Kāpiti. Together with Sir Mark, she funded homes for L’Arche Kāpiti, a similar organisation to Hōhepa, providing residential care for those with intellectual disabilities. Dame Dorothy supported Sir Mark in helping found a helicopter rescue service in Wellington in the mid-1970s, the precursor to the Westpac Helicopter rescue service.