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WELCOME Kia ora koutou katoa, What a year 2023 has been! Another year of wonderful highs, mixed in with a few challenges just to keep us on our toes. So much has happened this year, and there’s still so much going on, that it’s hard to believe that Christmas is just a fewweeks away. I’m looking back on what the Society has achieved this year with pride. Our getDriving programme has seen numerous members take up driving lessons. We’re delighted that so far the programme has helped two people move from their learner licence to their restricted licence. We’ve loved receiving feedback from members who are finding a new sense of confidence and freedom. A huge thank you must go to the generous donors who have supported getDriving and made this project possible. Be Green & Be Seen 2023 was a fabulous month of fundraising and awareness. Staff had a great time spreading the Be Green & Be Seen message throughout October, and we just loved seeing all the photos come in from schools, workplaces and members getting involved. We’re delighted with how much money has been raised so far, and that donations are still coming in. We look forward to giving you a final tally. You can read more about Be Green & Be Seen on page 9 . We ran our first Children’s Fun Day event on October 7. What gathers, analyses and reports on vital Cerebral Palsy health data, and supports research that addresses the priorities of people with Cerebral Palsy. Our AGM was held on October 29 and we say congratulations and welcome back to the re-elected board members. Sadly we are farewelling Katherine Thomas who resigned from the Board after the AGM. It has been a pleasure having Katherine on the Board and we thank her for her input and involvement. You can read more about the AGM on page 4 . 2023 has been nothing short of busy and hectic – but that is not my lasting memory of this year. It will actually be one of excitement and pride for everything that we as a Society, and as a team, have achieved for our members. From advocacy, to continuing to provide the e-card funding, to being at the end of the phone following a new diagnosis, or supporting long-standing members through the various challenges of life. Thank you to the Society’s staff for another year well done – another year of hard mahi, and to the board members for your support and concern for our members. Here’s to a safe and happy end to 2023, and a wonderful start to the New Year. Ngā mihi, Catch up with Clare Clare Williams General Manager Thanks to our getDriving programme, Bridget Ealam has her driving licence. a joy it was to see so many big smiles on the faces of the tamariki and their parents – check out the photos on page 8 . The day featured numerous activities – from games to art and craft and a photo booth. A huge thank you to all the staff and volunteers who pitched in to make the day a success. The feedback we received from parents on the day and afterwards tells us the hard mahi was worth it. We’ve also seen our coffee groups continue to grow and we’ve produced another Annual Impact Report, which is a wonderful reflection of the 2022-2023 year. The team also continues to promote the New Zealand Cerebral Palsy Register. If you haven’t signed up for the register, or you want to know more, please do get in touch. Among other things, the register SEP–DEC 2023 THE REVIEW | 3