From this exercise the Society became the owner of six houses that, to this day, still house a number of our members with cerebral palsy. An important off-shoot of this exercise was that the Cerebral Palsy Society also became a service provider, providing care, in the community for the physically disabled. Today, the profits from these activities are redirected back to people with cerebral palsy throughout NZ in programmes that the Society runs.
“My recollections of Jill from the early 90’s was of a woman who liked to work in the background, who had an emphasis on getting things done and who took little thought for her own ego,” said Harvey Brunt, the Society’s General Manager.

As Society member Margaret Thomson pointed out, in her excellent tribute, Jill helped the disabled community in many other ways. She refurbished Kumeu’s Ashley Cottage into a launching pad for disabled folk to experience living in the community. She played a major role in establishing the Ambury Park Centre and transformed “Riding for Disabled” from a pure recreational activity to a form of treatment. She joined the CP Society committee in the late 80s and helped raise awareness of the capabilities of Cerebral Palsy people and she helped establish the TalkLink Centre in late 1991, making a dream of helping people with impairments, by enhancing speech through computer technology, a reality.

“Your work will continue because death cannot rob us of your contributions in our lives. Go now, Jill in peace. You have done the tasks you were to do. Thank you for just being you,” said Margaret in her heartfelt conclusion.

Ross Flood- Editor
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