News from Waikato Women’s Refuge
TE WHAKARURUHAU – DECemBER 2019
Kia ora koutou,
Ngā mihi o te Kirihimete me te Tau Hau – Greetings for Christmas and the New Year.
As the festive season approaches, staff at the refuge prepare to spread some Christmas cheer with the whānau they work alongside. Each year we look forward to hosting a Christmas party for our families. I’d like to extend a big thank you to Western Community Centre for providing the venue for our party, the Santa (Neil Tolan) and the bouncy castle. We also have the wonderful Rapid Relief Team providing the BBQ, cooks, condiments and they’ve told us to expect a special Christmas treat. Thanks to all of you for donating gifts and food to make this time special for the families we support.
It’s also a time where staff are preparing for the increase in domestic violence incidents as families struggle with the stress and expenses that come with this time of the year.
Please take care out there as you come together with loved ones to celebrate this joyous occasion. Spread kindness to those around you; it’s guaranteed to ripple out further than you realise.
Ngā mihi,
Roni Albert
Waikato Women’s Refuge Te Whakaruruhau CEO
Awhina Law providing legal advice and support
Family law firm Awhina Law are great supporters of Waikato Women’s Refuge, providing legal advice and support for families impacted by family violence.
Director and lawyer Tania Kiri understands first-hand what family violence can do to a woman’s psyche. A former refuge advocate for many years, Tania was thrust into family violence work through her own experiences.
It was 2006, and Tania had moved to Hamilton with her partner to study law at Waikato University. It was around this time that the relationship turned sour, and her partner became controlling and sometimes violent. A particularly physical altercation saw Tania call the police.
READ MORE
SAVING ROSE
Nichola – Contemporary Māori Designs will be showcasing her stunning line of fashion and jewellery at our Saving Rose Gala dinner on Friday 6 March.
A natural creative all her life Nichola Te Kiri explores narratives drawn from the environment around her as well as her heritage and upbringing. www.nichola.co.nz
Read RNZ profile about Nichola here
We’ve made it easier for you to buy your tickets for Saving Rose. Just click on the link below and chose the number of individual tickets or tables you would like to purchase. You can pay using credit card or online banking.
MEET THE TEAM
My name is Halie and I am an advocate for woman and families wanting change in their lives. I have been fortunate enough to be working for Waikato Women’s Refuge for five years.
What drives you to do what you do at WWR?
From day one at women’s refuge, I have been privileged to meet and be present during the most focal points in the lives of women. In a moment in time, when the hardest choice is sometimes the best choice, I have been a part of watching women make this key step into the unknown and transform their lives
What are you grateful for? I am grateful to have met some beautiful people in my own journey who were able to show me the direction to my own light and truth. It was in doing open heart meditation that I was able to find a connection to my true self and a light that is within all of us. It was then that my path and purpose became clearer.
What is your spirit animal, and why? If I was to choose a spirit animal it would be one that animates the miracle of transformation that I see every day in the lives of the women I work with. the butterfly reflects this so beautifully.
What do you do when you’re not working? In my spare time I enjoy doing Reiki Tummo for family and friends. I have three grown children who I love spending time with also.
What song would be the anthem for your life? My favourite song is Imagine by John Lennon.
Living life in peace
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
Help us spread some Christmas cheer
White Ribbon Hīkoi
Waikato Women’s Refuge supported the White Ribbon Hīkoi in Hamilton City on Friday 29 November. This was the first year a city-wide event was organised.
This year we were asked to challenge the #Unspoken Rules – the expectations placed on boys and young men from society, based on what a man is, how he acts, and how he should express himself. Rules like, Be the Man, Toughen Up and Boys Don’t Cry.
White Ribbon Day celebrates the many men willing to show leadership and commitment to promoting safe, healthy relationships within families and encourages men to challenge each other on attitudes and behaviour that are abusive.
Stand By Me
