EPeeps Poppy Henderson | Senior Editor
Hello! I’m Poppy and I’m originally from the Cotswolds in the UK. I have two sisters and a Mudi mix family dog. My background is in digital publishing and creative writing, and I love to travel and see what’s out there in the big wide world. I met my Kiwi partner while he was playing cricket over in England, and he lured me back to Aotearoa in 2016 with the promise of beautiful landscapes (tick!) and mysterious local delicacies like ‘Pineapple Lumps’ and ‘Fairy Bread’ (it’s a no from me). Needless to say, I loved it over here and have stuck around ever since!
Why do you love working at EP?
I’ve been at EP for 6 years now and have loved being part of the ever-evolving journey of the company. I’ve had a few roles within the Content Team including Content Designer, Team Leader and now Senior Editor, and each one has allowed me to add new skills to my toolkit. It’s also a special thing to work with people from all over the world and share a passion for education. I didn’t know anyone other than my partner when I first moved to Dunedin but through my time at EP I’ve made some amazing friends for life. I’m also appreciative of the flexibility my job allows as I’ve been able to visit family and friends back in England while working remotely. A big thing for well-being and staying connected to loved ones.
What does a typical day look like for you in your role?
A typical day for me starts by checking my emails and reviewing the lesson scripts submitted by our Writers, before assigning them to our talented team of Editors. I always look forward to daily 15 min stand-ups with my project team as we’re all remote and regular face-time helps us stay connected. Updating project documentation and progress tracking is a big part of my role, as well as planning for upcoming projects in the pipeline – always thinking about what’s next! My workdays are punctuated by coffee runs and a walk around the block for some fresh air. There are so many great cafes in Christchurch so I’m pretty spoilt for choice.
What’s a memorable moment from your time at EP?
On my first day at EP we did a ‘Tim Tam Slam’ as a team icebreaker (who thought of that?!) – it was an entirely new concept for me and I ended up choking and dribbling chocolatey milk all down my white shirt. In my defence, the Slam was rigged as I was given a cup of cold milk, not warm milk. A strong first day on the job!
Tell us about a time when you viewed an event or occurrence as a negative, though in hindsight it turned out to be a positive.
When I was 19 I moved to Paris to au pair for a family and intern at their art gallery. The family were glamorous and artistic with a beautiful home under the Eiffel Tower, and I had plenty of opportunities to improve my French – a dream come true, or so it seemed! However, the job soon became very challenging as the parents were separating and I ended up being asked to keep tabs on the other and report back on where they’d been, with who etc. For a while I told myself being a French spy wasn’t so bad and I should just focus on all the other opportunities I was given. It was my dream adventure and I was determined to see it though. Unfortunately, it became a toxic environment that even the best croissants and posh berets couldn’t make up for. After a few months, I made the hard decision to leave the job and go back home to reset for my own well-being. And so began my lifelong journey with “having difficult conversations” and learning that changing direction doesn’t mean it’s been a failure – and trusting that different great things can be just around the corner (such as going to New Zealand!).
Where is somewhere you’d like to visit?
I’ve travelled a lot around the stunning South Island of Aotearoa but I’ve hardly spent any time further north. I’d love to visit the Coromandel, KeriKeri and up to Cape Reinga. I’ve also never made it over to Australia, so a trip to Sydney and Melbourne is high on my travel list for next year. Any recommendations for must-dos when visiting Australia are most welcome!
