Where are they now?
MATT BRUCE
2012: When not playing violin in the Dunedin Youth Orchestra, Bruce was bowling cricket balls at a blistering place with his school’s 1st XI and the Taieri men’s cricket team, at one stage taking five wickets for just seven runs. He planned to study physical education and music at the University of Otago.
2022: The senior pastor at Equippers Church, New Plymouth, Bruce has a physical education degree and a diploma in Christian ministry. He is no longer involved in cricket or orchestras but sport and music are still a large part of his life in the form of golf and his church music team.
SARAH SANDFORD
2012: Sandford had won the Otago under-19 girls’ singles and doubles badminton titles and was a high academic achiever who had been selected to attend the Rotary national science and technology forum. She hoped to carve out a career in biomedical
research.
2022: Sandford recently completed her PhD in immunology and has just started in a new research position at the Murdoch Children’s Research Centre in Melbourne. Researchers there are looking at how the BCG vaccination (the vaccine for Tb) influences the development of immunity to enhance protection against unrelated infections, and are conducting a multi-national trial to see if the vaccination in adults protects against Covid-19. Involved in organisations that support LGBTQIA+ students, she also enjoys the occasional game of badminton.
