A Table for Two – Boys’ School Mother Son Breakfast

Across two mornings, the Boys’ School hosted its much-loved Mother and Son Breakfast at Ellerslie Events Centre. For many families, it was a welcome pause – a rare chance to share a meal and a moment, away from the rush of the week. Boys welcomed their mums with roses and led them to tables surrounded by friends and classmates, ready to enjoy breakfast and time together.

This year’s speaker was TV presenter, producer and author Jude Dobson, who shared stories from The Last Secret Agent, her number-one bestselling book as told by the late Pippa Latour. Pippa, a decorated World War II spy, was one of the last surviving female agents of the Special Operations Executive – parachuted into Nazi-occupied France to transmit messages back to London while evading German detection. Even her own children didn’t know of her service until they found a reference online and asked if she was in trouble with the government. Her reply? ‘No, but I was a spy in the war.’

Jude shared with warmth and humour what it was like interviewing Pippa, who spent her final years living quietly with her dogs and doves “in the last place in New Zealand without Wi-Fi.” Clips of their conversations brought Pippa’s story to life and gave the audience a glimpse into the humble woman who will be remembered as a hero.

The morning also featured a round of generous spot prizes, including copies of The Last Secret Agent, JBL noise-cancelling headphones, and UE speakers, the technology kindly donated by Spark Business Hub, Auckland CBD. One lucky mum also received a Pilates voucher to share with seven friends in the weeks ahead.

Amongst the excitement and inspiration, the breakfast at its heart was about setting aside a school morning to simply be together. For one hour, it was flowers, hot breakfasts, shared laughs, and the kind of memories that linger well beyond the school year.