Dalila, her husband Rhys, and their son Brendon and Mason (right).
Dalila Jellie moved to New Zealand eight years ago to give her children a taste of New Zealand life.
The French born administration officer’s journey to Waipā started in England, when she met Rhys Jellie.
The two married and lived in London for 20 years before deciding they wanted to be closer to his family.
They moved to New Zealand in 2014, and now Dalila, who was born near Nice, considers it her home.
She wanted to make it official – and did so last week in Waipā as one of 30 to take the oath and become a New Zealand citizen.
She was joined by: from Te Awamutu, Natasha Kelly and Robert Aughey (Ireland), and Marianne Tible (Philippines), from Cambridge, Melina Blevans (America), Stephanie Curin (Britain), William Davidson (Canada), Lewis Ferrier (Britain), Maura Furniss (America), Carmel Stock (Australia), Angeline, Christo, Eben, and Yolinda Van der Merwe (South Africa), Eduan, Pieter and Tane Venter (South Africa), Louisa Venter (Zimbabwe), Philip Butler (Ireland), Fabian Burgos Pino (Chile), Isabelle Verriere (France), Cesar Carranza (Argentina), Barbara Brassesco (Argentina), Lorraine Marsh (Britain), Kelly Stokes (Australia), Emily Veelenturf (Britain), Christine Verrion-Clarke (Britain), Denise Weatherby (Britain), Sian Mansill (Britain) and from Ōhaupō, Hana Beatson (Britain).
Waipā mayor Susan O‘Regan officiated for the first time at a citizenship ceremony where each new citizen was given a kowhai.
The last such ceremony in Waipā was in September – the first since August 2021 – when 25 new New Zealanders were welcomed.
Rhys is the branch manager for Keith Hay Homes Waikato, while Dalila works in administration for Learning Matters in Te Awamutu.
The full list of new citizens was, from Cambridge, Melina Blevans (America), Stephanie Curin (Britain), William Davidson (Canada), Lewis Ferrier (Britain), Maura Furniss (America), Carmel Stock (Australia), Angeline, Christo, Eben and Yolinda Van der Merwe (South Africa), Eduan, Pieter and Tane Venter (South Africa), Louisa Venter (Zimbabwe), Philip Butler (Ireland), Fabian Burgos Pino (Chile), Isabelle Verriere (France), Cesar Carranza (Argentina), Barbara Brassesco (Argentina), Lorraine Marsh (Britain), Kelly Stokes (Australia), Emily Veelenturf, Christine Verrion-Clarke, Denise Weatherby and Sian Mansill (all Britain), from Te Awamutu, Dalila Jellie (France), Natasha Kelly and Robert Aughey (Ireland) and Marianne Tible (Philippines), and from Ōhaupō, Hana Beatson (Britain).
