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Minutes from the original meeting in 1970 “I’d like to thank you for supporting the Brain Bee programme as it was honestly life-changing for me. It has sparked my passion for neuroscience, and was such an incredible experience overall. I hope to repay this in the future.” Year 11 Brain Bee participant Chloe Kim-Johnson Yesterday’s beginnings, tomorrow’s breakthroughs At 4pm on November 9th, 1970, four eminent men – Professor J B Carman, Dr G Glasgow, Dr B Cant and Mr PWrightson – gathered at Auckland University’s anatomy department. Described in the minutes as ‘an informal meeting’, it was held at the request of Professor V J Chapman, Dominion president of the New Zealand Epilepsy Association. The stated aimwas: ‘To consider the requirements for a brochure to support a fundraising campaign in order to form a National Neurological Foundation.’ At the meeting, it was unanimously agreed that a Neurological Foundation would serve an important and useful function in the community. But the minutes contained a solemn warning: ‘If the Foundation is to initiate new fields of experimental research, it will need an annual income of $20,000, and preferably $40,000.’ The rest, as they say, is history. Fifty-five years later, the Neurological Foundation is fulfilling that original dream – although now, thanks to the generosity of our donors, the annual income has more zeroes, as does our funding of neuroscience. In 2026, in response to growing need, we supercharged Kiwi neuro-research with the highest-ever injection of funding: around $11 million. This extraordinary investment is fueling visionary research, effective education and meaningful collaborations right across New Zealand to ensure the greatest impact. Today, our dream is bigger, and so are our aspirations as we look to a brighter future. We are so excited to share this report with you. It’s a snapshot of some of the inspirational work happening right now, made possible by people like you, and pioneered by great minds over half a century ago. Featured on cover: Four of the fabulous PhD students funded by the Foundation. From left: BenjaminWatkin, Jean Yu Lim, Mikayla Chetty &Nathaniel Singleton, from the University of Auckland's Centre for Brain Research. (Lab coats supplied for the photoshoot by the Neurological Foundation.) 2 3