About Us
“On behalf of our ancestors who led the way and our descendants who follow, like links in a chain, we take our place. As each one of us steps forward with clarity of heart, we quicken the Law of Attraction to bring whatever wisdom, ideas, skills, and visions are needed to forge an unimagined pathway forward.”
Our Emblem
On March 15th, 1962, Alfred William Somerset Mortifee was officially granted armorial bearings and a Coat of Arms by Letters Patent of the British College of Arms in London, England. Over 60 years later, in October 2022, 24 years after Dad’s passing, the Coat of Arms was registered with the Public Register of Arms, Flags, and Badges of Canada with the Canadian Heraldic Authority. In honour of our father, this Coat of Arms has been formally adopted as the emblem of the Somerset Foundation.
The primrose flower, one of Dad’s favourites, is symbolic of enduring love. The green and blue represent land and water respectively, while the seagull inhabited all three continents that Dad lived on. The extensive use of gold, including in the crown, symbolize compassion and generosity. The crest consists of a small blue shield supported by the right claw of a seagull upon a rock. It is adorned with the western flowering dogwood, the floral emblem of the much appreciated British Columbia where our family immigrated to in 1956.
The motto, ‘Sagire et Agere’ translates from Latin as: ‘To Discern and Act’. This was typical of Dad’s considered and pragmatic approach to life; it’s an approach which is embedded in the way we strive to conduct ourselves through the Somerset Foundation.
History
We (siblings Peter & Ann Mortifee) founded the Somerset Foundation in 2001 in the memory of our father Alfred William Somerset “Bill” Mortifee (1913 – 1998). It came to be through the support of our late mother, Margaret Anderson Mortifee (born Russell; 1921 – 2005) and our sisters Margaret, Mary and Jane. Mum was a kind and generous woman. We carry her spirit with us.
Our father lived a remarkable and adventurous life. Born to farming pioneers in Zululand, South Africa, Dad went on to graduate from Cambridge University in England as a remarkable linguist with a passion for language. He lived on three continents, was a farmer, a Member of Parliament and a successful entrepreneur. He was fascinated by history, politics and current events. As a man of honour, integrity and dignity, many are those who quietly benefited from his generosity and pragmatic approach to life. His word was his seal.
Alfred William “Bill” Somerset Mortifee
& Margaret “Marga” Anderson Mortifee (born Russell)
People
Dr. Peter Mortifee
Co-Founder & Chair
Peter co-founded the Somerset Foundation and has been its Chair since its inception in 2001. He engages in various capacities with social purpose initiatives where his input and interest relates primarily to governance, structure, strategy, tactics, policy and financial sustainability.
He is a member of the global Ashoka Support Network and is engaged with several Ashoka Fellows. He is an Advisory Member of The Wellbeing Project’s Stewardship Council, a member of Outward Bound International’s Global Ambassador Network and a co-founder & Chair of the Chute Creek Stewardship Society.
He spent twenty five years training, practicing and teaching as a medical doctor. Following a medical degree at the University of British Columbia and a multi-year Internship in New Zealand, he became a specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. In 2008, he relinquished his Clinical Assistant Professorship with the Department of Medicine at U.B.C. and retired completely from his medical career in order to explore new ways of engaging.
He is a keen photographer and explores wellbeing photographically through his social media channels and his photographic website - Reflections On Wellbeing. He also loves music and travelling. He and his wife Nancy (below) live in Vancouver, Canada and between them they have four wonderful adult children, three delightful grandchildren and at least one walking adventure every year.
Ann Mortifee, CM
Co-Founder & Director
Ann is a founding member of the Somerset Foundation and has been a Director since its inception in 2001. She is an internationally known singer, composer, playwright and author. Over the years, audiences have been moved by her many performances, CDs, musicals and one woman shows.
As a keynote speaker, she has addressed conferences on the topics of health, ecology, creativity, women’s issues, and the arts. She has served as the Chair of the BC Arts Council and worked with several charitable organizations to further the vision of a healthy world.
As the founding President of Eco Initiatives Inc. she co-created the first Living Forest Community of Everwoods on Cortes Island, B.C. She is the Chair and co-founder of The Trust for Sustainable Forestry, an organization dedicated to transforming the culture from industrial logging practices to ecosystem based management.
Ann has been honoured with the Order of Canada, and the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award, for her outstanding work in the performing and healing arts in Canada and internationally
www.annmortifee.com
Nancy Mortifee (nee Fischer)
Director
Linkedin: Nancy Mortifee
Nancy brings to the Somerset Foundation over two decades of experience in the social change sector. She serves as Dean of Inner Work Programs for the Wellbeing Project, a global co-creation with Ashoka, Georgetown University, Impact Hub, Porticus, Skoll Foundation and Synergos committed to catalyzing a culture of inner wellbeing for all changemakers. Nancy is a longstanding member of the global Ashoka Support Network.
Nancy was the founding executive director of actor Goldie Hawn’s Bright Light Foundation, in Canada and the U.S. and served its mission to bring mindfulness education to young people. Drawing on her many years as an educator, she designed a research-based Mindfulness Education school program for children and co-authored the book “Mind Power for Children – a Guide for Parents and Teachers” now in five languages.
Previously, her passion for intercultural music and art led Nancy to co-create the Westcoast Sacred Arts Society and as executive director produced Canada’s first Sacred World Music Festival for five years. Partnering with the University of BC and Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, she co-produced the celebrated musical tribute, honouring His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama’s visit to Vancouver in 2004.
Paul Horn – in memoriam
Honorary Senior Advisor
Paul, the late husband of Ann, passed away with peace and grace on the morning of June 29th, 2014 after a brief illness. His contribution to the Somerset Foundation came from his grounded wisdom and the perspective that emerges from a life characterized by integrity and daring. He will be deeply missed.
His illustrious musical career spanned five decades, fifty albums and five Grammy nominations. He shared his musical gifts with thousands, both as a solo artist and with the likes of Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Buddy Rich, Chick Corea, Quincy Jones and Ravi Shankar. He is known as the Father of New Age Music for his seminal album, ‘Inside the Taj Mahal’.
A pioneer in the Transcendental Mediation (TM) movement, he was among the first teachers in North America. He recently performed along side Paul McCartney, Donovan and others in support of the David Lynch Foundation and their TM program for schools.
Paul offered his golden flute in support of social causes in conferences, at universities & schools and in film documentaries around the world. His interests included the advancement of mindfulness, ecological conservation, cultural exchange, animal rights and social justice.
