news and events

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, Every year I wonder what we can do for Helen Keller Day on 27 June. Mid-winter seems a long way away just now while I nurture lettuce and herbs in the garden, as many of you may also be doing. Here is an opportunity for us all […]

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, A warm start, both heart and weather, to you all from the Board, myself, Sarah, and Aimee – your team – here at Deafblind Association NZ Charitable Trust. I think of the New Year as “New Possibilities” and I make the same resolution each year, “This year

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, Pacific Disability Forum The following message has been received from Co-Chair Latoa, “… on the passing away of Dr Kevin Murfitt who represented WBU Oceania Subregion in past PDF regional conferences and chaired the Pacific DPO Fund successfully in his term. May Kevin’s legacy inspire us to

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, In February this year, Deafblind Association of New Zealand Charitable Trust submitted an application to the Rehabilitation International Centennial Award. While the award recipients were announced earlier in the year, we have only recently received the physical items, which consist of: A beautiful decorative fabric covered box

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, So, here we are sliding into the end of year break and still there are so many exciting things to do! Judy is busy organising a Deafblind Hamilton Network gathering before the close of play this year, Phil is coordinating for Lower Hutt/Wellington in January, and Andrea

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, Firstly I will apologise for not sending you an email last Friday. I was away at the Kāpō Māori 40th Celebration and Conference in Queenstown. While my luggage travelled with me, my JAWS Screen Reading Software packed his bags and went somewhere else! The Conference was wonderful,

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, This week I am down in Christchurch to be with Resource Teachers of the Deaf (RTD), Resource Teachers Vision (RTV), Advisors on Deaf Children (AoDC), Special School representatives, Deaf Aotearoa, Blind Low Vision NZ, Audiologists, Optometrists and Southern Cochlear Implant Programme (SCIP). The purpose is: To connect

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, Whoop, whoop, whoop! We launched our Wellington/Lower Hutt/Kāpiti group last Saturday. We had five deafblind, one voluntary tactile interpreter, one voluntary driver/technical advisor, and Jacqui, Deafblind Coordinator Extraordinaire! Phil hosted at the Laura Fergusson Trust and the catering was donated. I learned so very much from all

Note: this message was prepared by Amanda on Rāhoro, Saturday. Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, With apologies this is coming to you a little late this week, however that does not mean I have not been thinking of you all! I’m back in the “Big smoke” of Wellington and looking forward today

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, I am delighted to let you know that Phil Thorn is hosting a gathering in Lower Hutt next weekend for those in the wider Wellington area. Thank you Phil for taking leadership on this! So far we have eight of us gathering from Wellington, Kapiti Coast, and

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to All of Us, Honouring Brian Peel I came to know Brian after he had retired from his role as Guide Dog Instructor with Blind Low Vision NZ and I had returned from the UK. We would meet along the estuary while I walked Clover and he was walking his little

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, This week your Board received the resignation of Don McKenzie, CNZM, OBE MNZM and more. Don has dedicated the years since 2017 of his invaluable insight to us as a member of our community and enriching us with his experience. In looking at Don’s bio there is

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, I start with something this week that says it so much more clearly than I do. Kevin sent this through to us so thank you Kevin. It is so succinct and yet says everything! “I want to leave you one of my favourite quotes about disability from

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, Most of the time now I don’t think about whether I am deafblind or not – it’s just my normal. Every three years however I have a little smug moment when I am grateful not to be able to see all the larger-than-life faces of election candidates.

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, Wiki o te Reo Māori Māori Language Week is an annual event that celebrates the culture and language of the Māori people. In 2023, Māori Language Week started on the 11th of September and runs until the 18th of September. Whaikaha is our Ministry for Disabled People

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, Two of my favourite things about spring: Being an early riser I am most often up well before the birds in the winter. In the spring we wake up together and I am thankful to still be able to hear them and converse about the day. The

Kia ora Tatou, Hello to all of us, Wishing you happy Spring Days! Thank you to all those who engaged with us in any way for our Annual General Meeting last Sunday. We are grateful for your questions, interest and commitment. This is very welcome as it helps us to learn about and better serve

The 2023 General Election will be held in October and we encourage every eligible New Zealander to enrol and vote. Voting starts on Monday 2 October and finishes at 7pm on election day, Saturday 14 October. Information about enrolling and voting is available in alternate formats, such as New Zealand Sign Language, audio, large print

Kia ora tatou, Hello to all of us, By golly writing reports to our Annual General Meeting for this Sunday gives me time to reflect on the richness of our mahi in the last year. We would like to share this with you so if you have not already made arrangements to be with us

We have now uploaded the Executive Officer’s report about the 2023 seminar: Be Seen Be Heard Be Connected. The report outlines the Aotearoa New Zealand context for planning a seminar for deafblind while still in a “Covid live” environment, logistical challenges, and the successes and outcomes that have inspired plans for another seminar in 2025.