The Baptist Student Hostel is affiliated with the Baptist Union of New Zealand and has been providing high quality accommodation and delicious food since we opened our doors in 1972. Generations of Palmerston North students have loved their time with us and still maintain friendships that started right here.
For more detailed information about the hostel please refer to the BSH Information booklet.
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The Managers
“Hey everyone! We’re Tony and Janine, and we’re super excited to be the new managers of Baptist Student Hostel! We were drawn to this role because it’s the perfect opportunity for us to offer some genuine Christian care and support to all you awesome students out there who are living away from home.”
Tony studied history at Massey University, while Janine pursued her passion for medicine at Otago. They both know what it’s like to be students themselves, and have been actively involved in student ministry for years, thanks to the awesome folks at Navigator ministries on their campuses. Even after moving on to professional roles, both Tony and Janine continued to support student ministry.
“We can’t wait to meet all of you and be part of your university journey! If you ever need anything or just want to say hi, don’t hesitate to drop by and chat with us. We’re here to make your time at Baptist Student Hostel the best it can be!”
Board of Trustees
The Baptist Student Hostel is overseen by a Board of Trusties made up of volunteer members from various backgrounds.
Geoff Dixon
Geoff joined the Board in 2012 and took on the role of Chairman in 2013. His passion is to see the legacy of the Hostel continue as a place where students can start well in fulfilling their dreams. Geoff leads an active life as Senior Pastor of Hokowhitu Baptist Church, a multi-ethnic church in Palmerston North. He is married to Sonja and they have 5 adult children and 4 grandchildren. He loves the outdoors and exploring the beauty of God’s creation.
May Dabb
May joined the Board in 2013 and is an active member of Hokowhitu Baptist Church. She has a passion for young people which saw her in a role of teachers aid at Awatapu High school for many years, and she is a regular visitor to the Hostel in a pastoral capacity. She enjoys camping with her husband Rob, drinking coffee, visiting cafes, meeting people, coffee and more coffee.
James Anderson
James joined the Board in 2016 and attends Hokowhitu Baptist Church. James was a resident at the Hostel and of our flats while studing at Massey. He loves technology and is employed in the IT industry and cycles to work every day. He and his wife Morgan have two young children.
Lesley Fail
Lesley joined the Board in 2022. Lesley spent her early years in Fiji before moving to NZ. She and her husband Steve served with Youth with a Mission for over 20 years and have two grown-up kids both at Canterbury University, their son (Josh) is studying International Diplomacy and their daughter (Hanna) studying Human Rights Law. Lesley works at Queen Elizabeth College as the Executive Officer and her husband Steve is the senior pastor at Central Baptist Church in Palmerston North.
Brent Norrish
Brent joined the board in 2023. He is a Chartered Accountant and has been involved in various commercial businesses over his career. He and his wife Lily are currently self-employed business consultants and property managers. They undertake regular short-term mission trips, Brent is also on the Board of other Christian entities, and they both attend Central Baptist Church.
Josh Sosmena
Josh joined the board in 2023. Qualified as a veterinarian in the Philippines, he is now studying at Massey University and pursuing to become a Chartered Accountant. He is passionate about learning the ins and outs of various business industries with an eagerness for self development. He attends Central Baptist Church with his wife and young daughter.
Your Name Here
Could you be our next board member? If you are interested in joining our team, then please contact the chairman.