FAVOURITE THINGS...

Sophie Handford was just 18 when she was elected to the Kāpiti Coast District Council in 2019 – she’d got a taste for trying to change the world as the national co-ordinator of Aotearoa’s first School Strike 4 Climate rally. In April, she will be part of the Aspiring Conversations Festival in Wānaka, appearing at What’s The Tipping Point, a discussion panel to explore the critical intersection of storytelling, activism and political activism in addressing climate change. TV show

I might as well start answering these patai as I mean to go on, with honesty. At the moment, Mum and I have been really enjoying binging Married at First Sight Australia. It’s such an easy watch and provides the chance to just fully unplug. Definitely a guilty pleasure.

Movie

I don’t watch many movies and when I do, we watch them as a family or with friends so I don’t feel like I have a good gauge on my own taste in films. I’m always down for eye-opening documentaries, such as Thin Ice,

True Cost and Cowspiracy.

Smell

The smell after it’s just rained, and you’re underneath tree cover. It’s a smell I wish I could bottle up, because it’s just so unique, fresh and life-giving.

Item of clothing

My Brooks running shoes. This year running has been the best contributor to a balanced mind. The shoes symbolise getting moving and challenging myself. I set a goal to run a 10km event by the end of this year and have just completed it.

Song

Long Live by Taylor Swift. The song, to me, speaks of legacy and consideration of the kind of impact we aspire to have on the world and people around us. I am a huge fan of music generally though, and can appreciate just about any song in some sense. My dad used to drum in a band, Mum sang in a gospel choir and my brother and I have been brought up around all sorts of notes and beats.

Thing to buy at the supermarket

Raspberries or pretty much any fruit. I love buying fresh produce, and taking it on a walk, then rounding it off with an ocean or river swim after. It just takes me right back to my childhood, and there’s something I love so much about moments which feel nostalgic.

Restaurant

I’m a massive fan of Japanese kai. In 2020, we (a delegation of 12) embarked to represent Aotearoa on the Ship for World Youth programme, spending time in Japan and then at sea, bound for Mexico. There, I developed a real affinity for the food, how fresh and simple it is and how much space each of the ingredients are given to sing.

DESTINATION

THE BEACH, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME.

Weekend ritual

Run, ocean swim, big breaky, whānau time, often a small work commitment.

Piece of art

My grandmother Sylvia was a phenomenal artist. She wove narrative, texture and colour through her pieces in a way which was so authentic to her and who she was.

Book

I’d have to say Untamed by Glennon Doyle. It is the story of how each of us can begin to trust ourselves and our instincts enough to unleash our fullest potential. At the start of last year, I sat on the side of Lake Taupō and read just about the whole book. Time stopped for a moment and I got so lost in the stories.

Job

Council. It has its hard days, but I feel so privileged to hold a seat at the table which makes decisions to shape the future of Kāpiti. Getting paid to stand up for people and planet, and to chart the course for a brighter future to pass onto future generations is so energising.