Executive View
Page 4
Notes from the Chair
As a result of the Election of Directors, we welcome a new face to the Board for the first time since it convened in 2003 - Dr Jonathan Godfrey from Palmerston North. We are also pleased that Dr Neville Bennett and Jason Hollingworth have retained their directorships and farewell with great thanks for her contributions, Dr Nancy Higgins.
The AGM was marked by a fabulous speech from Minnie Baragwanath, "the blind assassin". And Jill Waugh from Wellington received this year's Chairman's Award (see article on page 18). We also trialed a phone-link service at the AGM with great success. We could support 40 people participating by phone and had 20 take advantage of the opportunity - 16 from Wellington and 4 from Invercargill.
A day before the AGM the RNZFB's new website was launched to the world. Already we have had more than 3000 visitors and close to 100 widely varying web enquiries. The feedback has been very positive and the site is flexible enough for us to update regularly.
The Cost of Blindness study, which we have been reviewing and completing a second analysis of the data, is being finalised and will be released in early 2006. We want to bring the report to life by including case studies of members and the costs of their own vision loss - to emphasise and add real life meaning to the data. The information in the report is of great value but needs careful interpretation.
As the year draws to a close I would like to thank all our wonderful staff and supporters - corporate sponsors, donors, bequestors and volunteers. It is through their constant giving of time and money that we are able to offer essential services to our members. Special thanks to Bayleys Realty Group for a reaching their 3-year target in just 20 months! And to our volunteers, we value and recognize your contributions and have celebrated them on International Volunteer Day on 5 December.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!
Page 5
Chief Executive's view
The speed of broadband internet and its widespread availability in Japan 'wowed' me on my recent trip with Mary Schnackenberg to the Daisy Consortium Board meeting. This allows people to download a five hour book in five minutes flat! The RNZFB and our commitment to the DAISY standards is very well thought of internationally. Our ultimate goal is to have all audio material published in the DAISY format. This is the future for our Library Services - something very dear and important to our members.
Other services are also very important to members and you can read about one recent divisional revitalisation of interest on page 27 of this issue. Another has been the recent launch of our new website. I do hope that you are enjoying new features like checking our library catalogue or ordering equipment online.
We are pleased to announce that our new Divisional Manager of Fundraising, Patrick Holmes, is joining the RNZFB from Britain - starting Monday 5 December. We are very fortunate to be able to attract someone of Patrick's calibre. We are sure he and his family will enjoy the clean, green New Zealand lifestyle.
Volunteers are absolutely essential to our organisation, and without the thousands and thousands of hours they give us each year we could simply not function. We are reviewing our Volunteer Services (see page 6), so we can provide an even better service to members.
Supporters that contribute financial gifts are also very important and Bayleys amazing $1 million achievement in such a short time is nothing short of amazing (see page 11). I was also touched by a $45,000 gift for our Library from the Netta Shortt Memorial and Jack Shortt Trust, established in memory of Mrs Netta Shortt.
This is a poignant reminder of the giving of the Christmas season just around the corner. I'd like to take this opportunity to say that I am so very proud of all my staff and the great achievements of the past year. To all our volunteers and members thank you for all your support.
I wish you all a very safe and enjoyable Christmas.