Photography: Renee Lansdowne.
Launching her first business at 80 years old wasn’t on Cheryl Sands’ retirement bingo card. But that’s precisely what she’s done, proving it’s never too late to start again with the release of her native bird conservation card game Pest in the Nest.
“I never in a million years imagined this because I’m not business-oriented at all,” smiles Cheryl.
“I’m just a hands-on, rustic girl who likes the bush and nature, and is always rescuing creatures.”
For four decades, the grandmother of nine and great-grandmother of five dedicated herself to a career in early childhood education, only stepping away at 68 when a knee injury forced her to.
Finding herself unexpectedly retired and desperately missing the days filled with wonder and play, Cheryl threw herself into grandparent duties, and began watercolour painting, specifically native birds.
Next came learning photography so she could digitally capture the birds she wanted to paint.
From painting to photography
“But I discovered my eyes were not so sharp, so my beautiful great-granddaughter Kylah Jae, now 16, took over,” shares Cheryl proudly.
“She came every fortnight to stay, and we would hop in the car with a picnic and drive down the coast. Her photography became my painting.”
On these treasured trips, they once discovered three tiny endangered dotterel chicks, but noticed over a few days that all succumbed to predators. The teacher in Cheryl couldn’t help but see a learning opportunity.
Empathy and education through kids
“When I started to share with my grandchildren what was happening on the coast with predators and birds, I got such empathy from their reactions,” she recalls.
“Children are so real, honest and raw, and tell the story how it is. Then they even begin to educate the adults. “So a plan started to develop, thinking we could use our children to help save our birds because they’re so passionate about it.”
The result is Pest in the Nest, a family-friendly card game where players try to form a family of native birds while warding off predators and learning conservation facts. Over the course of two years, Cheryl carefully hand-painted every card in the game, and tested countless iterations with her family until she was happy the final product was going to inspire Kiwi kids and their families to learn and
play together.
A steep learning curve
“It was a very challenging process,” admits Cheryl.
She’ll be forever grateful to her nephew’s wife, Cat Macnaughton, who founded the popular Getting Lost card game series, for mentoring her through the process.
“I was ringing her all the time asking her the craziest questions,” laughs Cheryl.
Designer and printer Elizabeth McGivor was also invaluable.
“She was so patient with this 80-year-old woman as I went back and forth.”
Support from family
And, of course, her beloved wha¯nau is the backbone of the project.
“My family has been dragged into it,” says Cheryl.
“I’d have the cards on the table at dinner and lunchtime, and would lie awake at 2am thinking about it. My husband Peter and I would sit up for hours. He’s just been my biggest support, trying to make
it work. “Watching the children react to the game has been absolutely wonderful to me. Now I’m a great-grandmother and I am not physically able to do what I used to, but I can still sit, rock and sing, and tell stories and play games.”
Launching against the odds
Despite nerves when meeting Whitcoulls’ buyers and the high cost of printing locally, Cheryl launched the game in April with 500 packs, 400 of which have already sold. The greatest reward, she says, is knowing the message is spreading.
“Five hundred packs of cards is 500 families that have looked at those cards, read about those birds and taught their children. If I’ve had an impact on 500 families, I’m very proud of myself.”
Next year, she’s dreaming of taking the game into schools to support conservation education programmes, saying,
“I’d love to potter along and sit in the grass with the kids, playing the game.”
Advice for women in retirement
And to other women in retirement, Cheryl’s advice is simple and deeply heartfelt.
“You are so wise,” she says encouragingly, acknowledging there can be a misconception that after a certain age, women have less to offer society.
“You have made so many mistakes and know how to negotiate around those mistakes. “But I have found you can start something with nothing. I hardly had a penny to my name when I started this idea and I just drove myself. I’m not driven, so to speak, but I am passionate.”
