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WELCOME Kia ora koutou katoa, There’s been a lot happening since the last edition of The Review . Following two years of disruption caused by Covid-19 we closed the Auckland office. We realised that with a little bit of tweaking, we could continue to meet the needs of our members, without the overheads of leasing office space. Our team is now all working remotely. There’s more information about this on page 18 . It also means we can progress our efforts to improve our national focus with a staff presence in more regions. Currently, we have staff in Auckland, Palmerston North and Christchurch. We can meet for face-to-face catch ups at your home, a café, or any other location. Soon, staff in all three locations will also be able to assist with assessments for our getOnYourTrike programme, and Total Mobility. It was a pleasure to sit down (virtually) with Disability Rights Commissioner Paula Tesoriero in March to contribute to the Inquiry into the Support of Disabled People and Whānau During Omicron. We talked about the impact the Omicron outbreak, and Covid-19 in general, had on our members. We ensured that the realities of living life during a pandemic, when you have a disability, were heard. You can read more about the inquiry on Pg 15 . In April, we bid farewell to Michael Northcott who had dedicated an incredible 15 years to the Society. He’d held a number of positions and was the Member Support and Programme Coordinator for our adult members, and Trike Programme Coordinator when he left the organisation. We’re grateful for his significant contributions to the organisation and how he connected with members and their families. Catch up with Clare Clare Williams General Manager Great news! We’re delighted to let you know that face-to- face coffee groups are running again and kick off this month. In the interest of protecting our staff and members from Covid-19, coffee groups have been on hold since March 2020. However, now that the country is comfortably in the Orange Traffic Light setting, we are opening the coffee groups up to members who are happy to attend. Our staff and coffee group hosts will be ensuring that there is suitable social distancing at the café and that all other Covid-19 requirements set by the government are being followed. You can read more about life in the Orange Traffic Light setting here www.tinyurl. com/2r2e9cjr, and about visiting hospitality venues here www.tinyurl.com/4t4rzpct. Please do not attend if you are feeling unwell, or have been in contact with anyone with Covid-19. We currently have coffee groups running in Auckland (Royal Oak, Manukau and on the North Shore), as well as in Masterton, and Christchurch. Please note there is a change in time for Masterton, and Christchurch has a change in venue. The Hamilton and Palmerston North groups are not currently meeting. Updated details, and more information, is available here www.tinyurl.com/49yzsncx. Coffee groups are back! Last month we welcomed volunteer Lititia Walton to our Grants Committee. Lititia replaced Sharon Wilson who served on the committee for three years. Thank you for your service Sharon, and thanks for joining us Lititia. Our work in the advocacy space continues to ramp up with our partners at The Access Alliance in respect of the “Access Matters” campaign. We will be presenting opportunities for members’ submissions on the subject of accessibility barriers and how it has impacted their lives. Ngā mihi, Michael Northcott MAY–AUG 2022 THE REVIEW | 3