Recognising Achievers 2007

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Recognising Achievers 2007

We would like to celebrate the good work of people and organisations in promoting the inclusion, visibility and participation of disabled people in society. The Office has identified the following disabled people and people working in the disability sector who have been recognised this year.

If you know of other people who have been recognised, or examples of good practice and work that should be acknowledged, please let us know. This can include disabled persons, people and organisation in the community and disability sector, local and central government, and businesses. You can email us at: odi@msd.govt.nz.

New Zealand Honours are announced twice a year, at New Years and at Queen's Birthday. To find out how to nominate a person for a New Zealand Honour or about people who have been awarded Honours, contact the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Disabled people

• John Kirwan: was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM), for services to mental health. John Kirwan has been involved with supporting campaigns to raise awareness of mental illness for 7 years, in particular those suffering from depression and encouraging those with the illness to seek help. He has been participating in the “Like Minds Like Mine” project to reduce stigma and discrimination against people who experience mental illness since 1999 and was involved with the television documentary Sticks and Stones.  He is also the front person for the National Depression Initiative, which was launched in 2006, to raise awareness of depression, to aid early recognition to encourage sufferers to and seek appropriate treatment. He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1989 for services to rugby.
• Mary Anne Schnackenberg (Auckland): was appointed in the New Year’s Honours as a Companion to the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to people with vision impairments. Ms Schnackenberg has led the development of adaptive support services, including audio, Braille and tactile graphics with the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind for over 30 years. She was involved with the changes to the Copyright Act in 1994 to permit the Foundation to produce accessible format versions of print materials and in 2005 co-developed the Telephone Information Service (TIS) to allow blind and vision impaired users to access Internet news.  The TIS received a Computerworld Excellence Award in 2005.  She was chairperson of the Workbridge Trust and has assisted those with disabilities to find employment. She was the first blind New Zealander to earn an MBA.
• Jennifer Elizabeth Brain (Whangārei): was awarded in the New Year’s Honours the Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for public services for the Deaf community. Mrs Brain was a member of the Deaf Association of New Zealand from its inception in 1977 until 2006.  She was a residential social worker at Kelston Deaf Education Centre and was instrumental in the development of the Deaf Education Access Forum.  She organised the first Deaf View Conference in 1993 and later as the chief executive played a large part in the introduction of services, including interpreting services, captioning on television and leadership training.

Disability sector

• Bob Henare (Ōtaki): was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM), services to the public health sector. Bob Henare has been involved in the public health sector for many years. He recently resigned as chair of the Capital and Coast District Health Board after 17 years service. He became a member of the Wellington Area Health Board in 1989 and later deputy chair. During his time within the organisation, he was involved in the Regional Hospital Project, the establishment of Primary Health Organisations, the joint hydrotherapy project with Wellington City Council, and the forging of a partnership between hospitals and the community.  He was instrumental in the establishment of the Māori Partnership Board and has been an active advocate for the engagement of community representatives on the advisory committees that support the board. He was also commissioner of the Mental Health Commission for nearly 10 years. He was a member of the Working Party on Civil Court Fees, the Qualifications Authority Advisory Forum, the National Interim Provider Board, and the Energy Advisory Forum. He was also chairman of the Central Institute of Technology, the Tourism Wellington Trust, and the Coal Corporation of New Zealand.  Bob Henare has been a director of many companies, including the Prudential Insurance Company of Greymouth and the Airways Corporation of New Zealand and is currently director of Te Roopu Huihuinga Hauora.
• Paul Cressey (Mānukau): was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM), for services to the Child Cancer Foundation. Mr Cressey was associated with the Child Cancer Foundation for 26 years until 2006. He was instrumental in establishing divisions in Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, and 23 local branches around New Zealand.  He has initiated large fundraising projects for the foundation, including Project 250 and the Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Homecoming concerts and was involved with the establishment of the Canterbury Accommodation Trust. He was chairman of the Ronald MacDonald House Auckland Trust and under his leadership, the Child Cancer Foundation and Ronald McDonald House Trust homes were established in Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington, along with Holdaway House in Dunedin. Mr Cressey was awarded the first Child Care Foundation life membership award in 1991 and a Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship.
• Helen Brathwaite (Dunedin): was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM), for services to education. Mrs Brathwaite was a special needs teacher in Dunedin for over 40 years until 2004. She taught at the Sarah Cohen School for Intellectually Handicapped Children, Kenmure Intermediate School special needs unit, and was the first head of Special Needs at Kaikorai Valley College for 15 years. Mrs Brathwaite was also the organiser of the local Special Olympics, with some pupils travelling to the International Special Olympics.
• Roslein Wilkes (Blenheim): was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM), for services to riding for the disabled. Mrs Wilkes has been involved with the Marlborough Riding for the Disabled for over 10 years. She is the head instructor, has trained some 250 volunteers within the organisation, instigates riding programmes, fundraises, and speaks to community groups about the organisation’s work. She is a member of the New Zealand Riding for the Disabled National Training Team and was instrumental in the implementation of NZQA Unit Standards for assessing training. She is also a delegate to the Xll International Congress of Therapeutic Riding.  She is the Special Olympics equestrian coach for New Zealand and has recently been selected as the head equestrian coach for the New Zealand team attending the world games in China in 2007. Mrs Wilkes was awarded a Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship in 2006.
• John Barr (Tauranga): was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours with the Queen Service Medal for services to the community. Dr Barr has contributed to the Bay of Plenty community for over 30 years. He set-up the Tauranga HELP Rape Victims Support Trust in 1980 and is currently the patron. He is a member of the Bay of Plenty Branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, holds the position of field worker liaison for the association, and represents the Branch on the Western Bay of Plenty Disability Support Trust. He was the honorary medical officer to the Omanu Surf Life Saving Club, a member of the Bay of Plenty Surf Life Saving Club for 20 years and the Lions Club Annual Harbour Swim and the Motor Racing Club Baypark for 25 years.  He has been a member of the Tauranga South Rotary Club for over 20 years and was awarded a Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship.
• John Davis (Tauranga): was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours with the Queen Service Medal for services to the community. Mr Davis has contributed to the community in Mangakino, Whangārei, and Tauranga for over 50 years. He was a coach of athletics and soccer, a member of school committees and Civil Defence and was also involved with the Turangi Welfare Organisation. He is also a member of the Tauranga Repertory Society. He has been actively involved in supporting the blind, deaf blind and vision impaired in Tauranga for over 10 years. He is a member of the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind’s Tauranga Community Committee and is a telelink co-ordinator, recording information weekly into a phone recording system accessed by the blind. He is the coordinator of a fortnightly craft group for Blind Foundation members, was instrumental in establishing the Tauranga Blind and Vision Impaired Sailing Club, and is involved with many other activities.
• Kathleen Gardner (Taupō): was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours with the Queen Service Medal for services to the community. Mrs Gardner has contributed to a number of community organisations in Taupō for over 20 years. She is the chair of the Taupō Hospital and Health Society, the Taupō Porcelain Painters Group, a member of the Taupō Community Health Forum, and the Women’s Division of the Taupō Returned Services Association. She is also a member of the Taupō Travel and Hospitality Club, the Alzheimers Support Group, the Taupō Union Church, and the Taupō branch of the Alzheimers’ Disease and Related Disorders Society.
• Patricia Howell (Te Kuiti): was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours with the Queen Service Medal for services to the community. Mrs Howell has been involved in the Te Kuiti community for over 40 years, in particular with the district branch of the IHC. She has been involved with IHC for over 40 years and was instrumental in the establishment of the King Country Branch.  She is involved with the IHC retail shop in Otorohanga, creating the opportunity for IHC people to work, has organised an annual market day for 30 years to raise money for IHC, and co-ordinates the IHC Annual Appeal in the Waitomo District area.  She was made a life member of the King Country Branch of the IHC in 2004. Mrs Howell was also involved with the fundraising for the Christopher Park Complex in Hamilton and was involved with Riding for the Disabled Activities, including travelling with teams to national championships.
• Joan Lardner-Rivlin (North Shore): was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours with the Queen Service Medal for services to the community. Mrs Larnder-Rivlin has contributed to the Auckland community, in particular the North Shore, for over 30 years. In 1977 she established the Physically Handicapped and Able Bodied clubs to integrate disabled and able bodied people into the community and was awarded life membership. She was also a founding member of the Auckland Youth Workers Association, the New Zealand District Council of Social Services, and the North Shore District Council of Social Services. Mrs Larnder-Rivlin is a founding member of a number of Citizens Advice Bureaux including Birkenhead, Mt Albert, and Mt Roskill, all of which she is a life member, and she is also a founding member of the Northbridge Retirement Village in 2006. She is a member of the Ministry of Social Development Older Peoples Reference Group, the Auckland District Council of Social Services, and the North Shore Disability Advisory Group. She is also a trustee of the Birkenhead Northcote Community Facilities Trust.
• Joseph Rodrigues (New Plymouth): was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours with the Queen Service Medal for services to the community. Mr Rodrigues has been volunteering in the Taranaki community for almost 50 years.  After five years with the Jaycees in Eltham, he joined New Plymouth’s first Lions Club as charter secretary in 1960. He was honorary treasurer of the Taranaki Aged People’s Welfare Council for 10 years and was a founding trustee when it became Age Concern (now Senior Care). In the 10 years since, he has held the position of chairman and is currently a senior advisor. He has also contributed to many other organisations including the New Plymouth Youth Hostels Association, the St Johns Ambulance Service, the Taranaki Disabilities Information Centre Trust and the Alzheimer’s and Related Diseases Society.
• Patricia Eleanor Beck (Greymouth): was awarded in the New Year’s Honours the Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for public services. Mrs Beck worked in nursing and patient care on the West Coast for 36 years until 2006.  She worked at Grey Hospital in many roles, including charge nurse in the Rehabilitation and Orthopaedics departments and Discharge Planner/Perioperative Co-ordinator. She established the Clinical Diploma of Orthopaedics course for The Open Polytechnic. She has supported the West Coast Branch of CCS in Greymouth for over 30 years, helped establish the district wheelchair van, the local toy library and a children’s park.
• Averil Ada Langrell (Geraldine): was awarded in the New Year’s Honours the Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for public services. Mrs Langrell was a speech language therapist in the Geraldine district, in particular with Geraldine Primary School, for over 40 years until 2006. She was particularly dedicated to her students, worked many extra hours and taught children who did not qualify for a subsidy.  Many of the students she has taught have since excelled in their studies or careers.
• Lyvia Marama Marsden (North Shore): was awarded in the New Year’s Honours the Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for public services. Mrs Marsden has developed mental health services to meet community needs on the North Shore for over 10 years.  She developed Te Puna Hauora as a Māori health and social services provider for the community and has implemented the National Health Strategy and Korowai Oranga, the Māori Strategy for the North Harbour Primary Health Organisation. She was instrumental in establishing the Māori Nurses Organisation in 1983, has been a member of the Auckland branch of the Māori Nurses Council and was made a life member in 2005.
• Dr Robert Miller (Dunedin): was appointed in the New Year’s Honours as an Officer to the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to schizophrenia research. Dr Miller has been a leading researcher on schizophrenia, and its impact on the community.  He has devoted his research to the psychological basis of schizophrenia for over 40 years. He founded the New Zealand Schizophrenia Research Group and the Schizophrenia Fellowship in Otago for those with schizophrenia and their families in 1978 and established the annual Schizophrenia Research New Zealand Meeting in 1993.  Dr Miller has written 12 books, including Straight Talking About Mental Illness, Meaning and Purpose in the Intact Brain and Arguments Against Secular Culture, and contributed numerous articles to academic journals.