Kia ora koutou katoa to all our members,   

I hope this email finds you well, and you are prepared for the cooler temperatures that winter will bring our way.  

As usual, there is plenty going on in the world of the Cerebral Palsy Society, so please take a few moments to read through this email and see what is going on.  

Mates @ Maccas 

Next month, on Wed May 31, we’re kicking off our newest programme – and it’s for our youth and young adults. 

Mates @ Maccas is an opportunity for our 15 to 25-year-old members in Auckland and Christchurch to hang out, socialise and connect at McDonald’s – and the burgers are on us!  

A companion, support worker and/or family member is welcome to accompany members to Mates @ Maccas. Up to $15 worth of refreshments per person is provided, compliments of the Cerebral Palsy Society.   

Click here for all the Mates @ Maccas details, the Ts & Cs, and the small amount of paperwork that needs to be filled out before attending the first session.  

Where: Henderson McDonalds, Auckland and Riccarton McDonalds, Christchurch
When: Last Wednesday of the month (except January) 
Time: 4.30pm – 6pm  
NB: You must RSVP each month.  

CPS Family Focus Coffee Group 

Calling all Auckland families – we’ve got a coffee group for children, parents  caregivers and we’d love for you to join us.  

The Family Focus Coffee Group is for parents who have a child with Cerebral Palsy, as well as parents who have Cerebral Palsy and an able-bodied child. 
Feel free to come along with or without your child (perhaps they are in daycare or school). 

Where: Presshouse Coffee, Level two, St Lukes Mall. (Near the children’s playground)
When: Every third Thursday of the month (except January)   
Time: 10.30am 

All the info you need is here. 

Farewell to Anne-Elise 

After working for the Cerebral Palsy Society as the Partnerships and Fundraising Manager for the past 14 months, we sadly bid farewell to Anne-Elise Smithson last week.  

 
It was an absolute pleasure to have Anne-Elise as part of the Society team/whānau and we thank her for her valued contributions. 
Her willingness to help out did not go unnoticed and she will be missed!  
We wish her every success in her new role. 

Advocacy Committee – Request for Expressions of Interest 

The Cerebral Palsy Society of New Zealand’s Advocacy Committee is looking for additional committee members. 

The Committee was established to lead the Society’s advocacy strategy and reports to the Society, making recommendations on advocacy actions.  
Expressions of Interests are being sought from members of the Cerebral Palsy Society to join the Committee in a voluntary capacity. 

The closing date for Expressions of Interest is May 29, 2023. 

You can find more information here.  

Yasmin’s cycling success 

You might remember, in our February email, that we shared Yasmin Wessel’s fundraising efforts with you.  

In honour of her older brother Matthew, who was born with Cerebral Palsy, Yasmin was cycling the North and South Islands and tramping around Stewart Island to raise money for the Cerebral Palsy Society.  

We’re delighted to let you know that on April 24, after 35 days of cycling, Yasmin reached Bluff. She is now tramping around Stewart Island.  
What an incredible journey she has been on! Not only did she meet some wonderful people, and see some stunning scenery, but she also exceeded her fundraising target.  

Her goal was to raise $3,125 but by April 26 she had raised $4,225!

It’s not too late to donate and show Yasmin your support for her incredible efforts. Click here to donate to her Givealittle page.  

Thank you to Yasmin for all her efforts to raise funds for the Society and raise awareness of Cerebral Palsy – and thank you to everyone who has made a donation. We are very grateful.  

Cerebral Palsy Register

New Zealanders living with Cerebral Palsy/Hōkai Nukurangi are invited to join and contribute to the New Zealand Cerebral Palsy Register (NZCPR). 

There’s more info about the NZCPR here. 

– The information collected by the register assists the Cerebral Palsy Society in its advocacy goals for the needs of people with CP and their whānau, including advocacy for equitable access to health services, interventions and treatments and other priority issues. 
– The Register is working towards understanding the number of people living with Cerebral Palsy in Aotearoa NZ and how it impacts them in daily life.
– The more people with Cerebral Palsy who join the NZCPR the more information there will be about people with Cerebral Palsy in Aotearoa NZ. 

Ticket giveaway!  

We’ve got 15 tickets to the pantomime Tom’s Marvellous Imagination to give away!

It’s being held at the Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna, Auckland at 10am on May 13.  

To get your tickets, please email cpsociety@cpsociety.org.nz with:  

– Your name  
– The name of the person who is a member of the CP Society  
– How many tickets you want  
– Your postal address.  

We’ll send the tickets out on a first in, first served basis.  

Click here for information about the show. 

Halberg Games 2023 

Were you among the 224 participants at the Halberg Games this year?  
The Halberg Games is a three-day national sports festival open to young people aged 8-21 with a physical or visual impairment. It was held at Kings College in Auckland from April 14-16.   
Among them were 50 athletes who have Cerebral Palsy, and a number of them are members of the Society.  

Photos: Halberg Foundation and Photosport NZ 

Whether you were participating in an event you had been training for, or you were trying something new, we hope everyone had an amazing time.  

Our Member Support and Programmes Coordinators Sara, pictured left, and Paula were also there, and enjoyed the opportunity to chat with members, as well as potential new members, and staff from other disability organisations. 

Upcoming events 

There is plenty happening around the country – from trike demo days and Show Your Ability expos to communication workshops and the New Brighton Accessible Tour (part of the #OpenChristchurchFestival).  

Click here for all the info.  

Support Kiwis living with Cerebral Palsy 

As a supporter of the Cerebral Palsy Society of NZ, you can help Kiwis living with Cerebral Palsy maximise their potential. 

Perhaps you have a birthday coming up – you could ask family, whānau and friends to give in celebration, you could host a fundraising event at school or work, sign up as a monthly donor, or include a gift to the Society in your Will. 
Perhaps you know of a business that may be interested in learning more about partnering with the CP Society? Please put us in touch! 

Your gift will enable the Society to be there for people with Cerebral Palsy with whatever support they need. 
We couldn’t do the work we do without our partners and supporters!
For more information call 0800 503 603 or email cpsociety@cpsociety.org.nz.     

Learn more about supporting the Cerebral Palsy Society here.  

Research Opportunities 

There are plenty of opportunities for you or your child to get involved in CP-related research. 

Current projects looking for participants include: 

– Sibling Research 
Researchers from Massey University are looking at the unmet needs of siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, and/or Cerebral Palsy.

– Chronic Pain Assessment in Cerebral Palsy
Researchers from the University of Adelaide want to learn to better assess chronic pain for young people with Cerebral Palsy, so that pain can be better treated.  

Click here for more information. 

Participate in a marathon and fundraise for the CP Society 

We’re looking for people to participate in marathons, fun runs, triathlons, or any similar type of event, and use it as an opportunity to raise funds for the Cerebral Palsy Society. 

This will be a perfect way for some of our members, their family and whānau, friends and supporters to support the Society.  
It’s a great opportunity for first timers, and seasoned marathon participants.  

Click here for more information, or send an email to cpsociety@cpsociety.org.nz 

That’s all for this month.
As always, please do get in touch if there is anything we can assist you with.
We’re just a phone call or email away.  

Ngā mihi, 
Clare and the CP Society team