Hayley Holt isn’t shy about declaring she’s happiest in nature. She likes its honesty, authenticity, wisdom, the smell of it, colours, how everything flows and fits together, as well as how it makes her feel.

“I think it’s beautiful. I love being in the forest. It fills you with a natural energy,” Holt explains.

Her love of nature, as well as her political opinions, are what led the Green Party to invite Holt to run for the Helensville electorate in 2017 (now Mahurangi ki Kaipara), a seat previously held by former prime minister John Key.

Back then, her campaign announcement was largely gazumped by Key who announced on the same day that he was quitting politics. And while her crash course in politics was a learning curve, she doesn’t dismiss it as a possible future career path.

“I think about it every now and then,” she admits. “I’m glad not to be in it now but I can’t say that I won’t want to get back into it. I bore Josh to tears talking about how to fix the world, and he’s like, ‘Go and talk to your dad about it’.”

FAMILY PARTY

The one party that had precedence recently was her son Raven’s first birthday on July 3, which is also her birthday.

The day was spent celebrating with her fiancé Josh Tito, family and friends. Holt’s mum, Robin, baked the cake which was the healthiest cake recipe Holt could find online, made with only natural ingredients including oat flour and sweetened with maple syrup and yoghurt frosting.

Raven wasn’t a fan, though his 18-month-old cousin Cooper loved it, and Holt wasn’t surprised. He doesn’t have a sweet tooth, preferring vegetables and gnawing on a steak, and she doesn’t want to give him refined-sugar yet – though the former party girl is partial to sugar herself