DISABILITY SPORT​​​​​​​

Halberg Active, Parafed Northland & Special Olympics

Halberg Disability Sport Foundation

The Halberg Foundation is a charity set up in 1963 by Olympic athletics champion Sir Murray Halberg (ONZ) which aims to enhance the lives of physically disabled young New Zealanders by enabling them to participate in sport and active recreation. The Halberg team of Advisers, regionally based around the country, connect physically disabled young people to sport and recreation opportunities, deliver inclusion training on adapting physical activity and assist clubs, schools and organisations to provide inclusive events and programmes.  The Halberg Activity Fund provides grants to help pay for sports equipment, lessons and assistance at school camps.  The Halberg Games is a national three-day sports competition for young athletes with a physical or vision impairment hosted annually by Halberg. For more information go to www.halbergactive.co.nz

Contact Name: Rhys Edwards
Email: Rhys@halberg.co.nz
​​​​​​​Phone: 022 0435 308

Parafed Northland

VISION: Inclusive sport and recreation for all Northlanders.

PURPOSE: Parafed Northland exists so that Northlanders living with a physical disability can experience quality sport and recreation opportunities for fun, good health and competition.

Parafed Northland work with people throughout the Northland community who live with a physical disability to see them included and involved in sport and recreation for enjoyment, good health and competition.

To do this, we link with local clubs and schools to increase their capability to service Parafed members along with delivering some sports ourselves.

We also wish to raise the awareness of disability sports and inclusive sport and recreation opportunities within the community.

Parafed Northland has a number of sport and recreation opportunities currently operating across the Northland region and also hold regular sport and recreation events for both children and adults.

To get more information click https://www.parafednorthland.com/

Or contact:

Sharon Carroll
Active Recreation and Sport Coordinator
sharon@parafednorthland.co.nz
027 265 3227

Anna Hewitt
Active Recreation and Sport Coordinator
anna@parafednorthland.co.nz
​​​​​​​027 728 6219

Jonelle Waipouri
Active Recreation and Sports Coordinator - Kaitaia
jonelle@parafednorthland.co.nz

022 160 6146


Special Olympics

Special Olympics provide training and competition, for people of all ages and all abilities who have an intellectual disability. More than 6000 athletes throughout New Zealand participate in the 14 different Olympic-type summer and winter sports offered by Special Olympics New Zealand.  These athletes are supported by over 2500 volunteers and an impressive list of partners.

The programme is run through Secondary Schools and a community club network.

While sport is the basis of the organisation, the benefits of participating in Special Olympics are much greater than physical fitness. Special Olympics changes lives. Through participating in sport, athletes with intellectual disabilities make friends; they gain confidence; they get to be part of a team. As athletes develop physically and emotionally, they learn that they can achieve not only on the sports field, but in the community.

The Upper North Island - North reaches from North Harbour to the top of the North Island with clubs in Bay of Islands covering the mid and far North and Whangarei covering the central and Kaipara areas.

Sports offered are swimming, athletics, equestrian, tenpin bowling, indoor bowling, power lifting and football

Season: All year

Events / Tournaments:
Check out the Special Olympics NZ website for this year’s calendar here

Club Contacts:
Bay of Islands
Contact: Nicole Grimme
Email:  bayofislands@specialolympics.org.nz

Website: Click here (search for “Special Olympics Bay of Islands”)

Facebook: Click here

Sports offered: 
•    Aquatics (Bay of Islands and Kaitaia)
•    Equestrian

Whangarei
Contact: Andrew Langford
Email:  whangarei@specialolympics.org.nz

Website: Click here

Facebook: Click here

Sports offered
•    Aquatics
•    Athletics
•    Bowling (tenpin)
•    Football
•    Indoor bowls
•    Equestrian