Will Browning, Plumber and his two daughters Isobel and Evie live in The Wood, Nelson.
Initially the main reason was to get a good education for the kids. We were living in the UK and we think, having done the research, the public education options here are much better..
We had an option to go anywhere in New Zealand - we went to Queenstown, Wanaka, Auckland, and Nelson. Of the five places that we had on a short list there was only going to be one winner – and that was Nelson.
I was a plumber in the UK, and those skills are very transferable to New Zealand. I interviewed for my first job the second day of arriving in New Zealand and started on the third day, and ended up doing four years with Tim Miller Plumbing.
Now I’ve gone out on my own - it's just the way to do it. With just a bit of ambition I can build up your own client base; a bit more money, a bit more freedom.
I don't want to get too big. I do want a couple of others working for me, but keeping the lifestyle balance is important. I don't want to have 14 driving people coming at you, left, right and centre.
Plumbing’s not always easy, but it's not rocket science either. It's a decent trade.
It’s got to be the climate – I love it!
I like that sort of climate we have here. I like that cold, crisp climate, as well as the hot, not too hot summer days. People say the winters in the UK are longer, but I actually don't think they are. I think the summer and the winters are the same length, but just the winters here in Nelson are much nicer.
We were living in a flat in London, in Fulham. Fulham's not the worst, but it's no comparison to here for outdoors and, you know, what's on your doorstep here is just extraordinary. Over there it would take a two-hour drive to get to a beach, whereas here it's just literally on your doorstep.
We’re an active family. Isobel, my oldest daughter is getting into netball, and the youngest Evie is well into the ballet. She's doing her third year of doing a Theatre Royal ballet dance. I play golf, a bit of tennis and cricket for Titoki club out in Brightwater – it’s all easy to manage.
My partner and I also love to head out, and you’re spoilt for choice around here food and beverage wise. Urban, Arden, Hardy Street Eatery, Harry's, Hopgoods, Le Plonq, Eight Plates, the BoatShed, Mamasun, Green Bamboo. It's just so, like, how much more do you want?