Once upon a time, there was a 9 year old boy named Alex. Alex lives with his Mum in Bream Bay, Northland where there are lots of kids his age, who enjoy the beautiful parks, beaches and playing with their mates at school.

Alex has a disability. This means he is confined to his wheelchair and finds it difficult to join in with the other children at play and at school. Alex dreams of being able to have fun at the park like everyone else. This is a story about the inspiration and courage of two liked minded women striving to bring enjoyment to children's lives through their new local charity : Children with Disability NZ.

Meet Kylee, Alex’s Mum. while looking for a support worker to help her with her son’s care, Kylie met Charlie. Charlie works for Geneva Health and also has personal experience in caring for her severely disabled Mum while she was just a child herself. During the course of their new found friendship, they got chatting about the needs and lack of services in Bream Bay and Waipu for disabled kids. They quickly realised that there was little support for parents with disabled kids in the area and a massive lack of disabled services in general. So it began…..fundraising, talking to Whangarei council and government re grants, donations, sponsorship, organising community raffles (that”s how we met: Charlie approached Gratitude gift boxes to donate a gift box for a local raffle)

Kylee and Charlie’s first initiative is to restore a Liberty or disabled swing to the area, which was removed recently from the newly designed Whangarei town basin playground. “ It’s so disappointing” says Kylee “ it’s very upsetting for parent and child, going to a playground and not being able to join in, settling for watching the other kids play”

Alex has neck and torso control, unlike some other disabled children with Cerebral palsy for example, but he is very heavy to lift, she explains. Needing a location for the Liberty swing, they came up with the newly planned Waipu Playground upgrade. The Waipu Walkway committee is also keen to improve and welcome their ideas such as a raised sensory garden and a fountain where people with or without wheelchairs or disability, young or old can go and smell, touch and and feel textures they normally wouldn’t have access to. This all coincides with their charities mission “To improve more parks add accessibility and add more sensory projects to Northland”

Sounds easy? I think not.

Firstly you need to raise money and apply for funding for such projects. For example, a Liberty swing costs at least $30,000 plus it needs to be fenced and made safe for all to use. To obtain a government grant, you must be a registered charity. This requires police checks, discussions with advisory councils and the like. Glen, who has just finished a two-year stint on the WDC disability advisory group, has also teamed up with Children with Disability planning on asking for better facilities for the disabled children in Northland.

Children with Disabilities NZ is keen to talk with businesses looking to invest in funding, organisations like Lions, NZ Lotto and local government bodies.

The feedback from Northland’s MP is that the focus is on improving Northland by investing in making it a better and safer place for the community and youth. “ We tick all the boxes” says Charlie.

Another exciting idea the Charity has, is to install an Interactive Splash pad in Waipu, where in summer, children can run or drive through in their wheelchairs. With fountains to go through, tipping buckets, rainbows of spray, tunnels and puddles to splash in we're totally there! There are 16 Splash pads in Auckland, its great for kids, will provide a extra tourist attraction and bring people in to the town.

Splash Pad in Auckland (Courtesy of stuff.co.nz)

Talking about general public services, wheelchair access is a nightmare in Northland they both say. More curb cutouts are needed especially access to sports grounds and carparks and most public places. And its not just about the wheelchairs, people with vision and hearing impairment, behavourial disabilities like ADHD, seizure and stroke victims, brain injuries etc. will benefit. Northland also desperately needs better changing facility's in public toilets. Next years goal is to have two sensory rooms for everyone from mild ADHD to on life support machines, one in Bream Bay and one in Whangarei.

Day to day activities are filled with so many interuptions the women say,” Its a big issue, there’s a big need and its our whole world.”

What can the community do to help right now?

Lots of Feedback from locals…..and council LOVE letters of support from the community. CLICK HERE to email your feedback now. Its Quick and Easy!
Donations are always appreciated CLICK HERE to donate. Any amount no matter how small, really counts :)
Volunteers: People with experience in applying for funding, skills with local community fundraisers and community groups
Sponsorship: Businesses wanting to help our cause. We cant do it with out you!

Authors note: The potential for growth with Children with Disability NZ is massive. Its not just about disabled kids, its about the community as a whole. Statistically, Northland alone, is either very old or very young and the region is growing as is the need for services.. We need better lighting on our walkways, better wheelchair access in public places and the freedom for kids to have a normal childhood, including those with disabilities.

Contact info

Charlie Bonner Germain 021 209 1484 www.childrenwithdisability.co.nz

@childrenwithdisability childrenwithdisabilitynz@gmail.com

A Childs Dream Come True