Invitation to All Respite Options Workers - Coffee Morning at Gloria Jeans
Workers on the Respite Options Program are invited to come along to our monthly coffee morning's at Gloria Jeans, Narrabeen.  These will take place on the 1st Tuesday of every month at 10am.

No need to RSVP - just turn up for a coffee and a casual chat with Lisa or Jess.



Concert Fundraiser for NBI and Allawah Children's Hospital
Loosely Woven presents their latest concert "On the Road Again".  Come and enjoy an evening of acoustic music, singers and instrumentalists with a wonderful supper at intermission.  This is a great event for children with audience participation welcomed. 

The concert will be held at St Andrews Presbyterian Church, 56 Raglan Street, Manly (fully accessible via Augusta Lane) on 11 April 2008 from 7pm - 9.30pm.  Admission by donation and the donations will be split between Northern Beaches Interchange and Allawah Children's Hospital.

Please contact NBI for more information.



Respite Options Program
The Options Program has four Allocation Periods per year : January, March, June, and October.  Each of these allocations is for a 6 month period and any family with high support needs is able to apply for a respite package.  Applications close four weeks before the alllocation month.  

Any family wishing to apply or requiring further information, please contact Options Coordinators - Lisa or Jess - on 9970 0500.



Mum's Weekend Away
NBI is inviting all it's members mothers to join us for the 2008 Mums Weekend Away.  This weekend will take place Friday 29 February through to Sunday 2 March.  We have booked 14 twin share rooms to stay at the fabulous Menzies Hotel in Sydney's CBD.  Applications for this weekend away close Friday 25 January.  If you have not already received an application form, please contact Lisa for further information.  Hope to see you there!



Welcome!
NBI would like to extend a warm welcome to Micael Beccatini - our new Respite and Recreation Coordinator.  Micaela will be working full-time as the coordinator of the TAG and Seagulls holiday programs and the Saturday Program.  She brings a lot of experience to the role and we all look forward to working with her.  Micaela will be contacting families who access TAG, Seagulls and Saturday Program in the next few weeks.



TAG and Segulls School Holiday Programs
Both school holiday programs are now in full swing.  Approximately 80 children are enjoying a range of fun activities during the summer holidays.  For more information about these or any of our other programs, please contact NBI.



NBI Fun Day - 15 December 2007
The Fun Day was a great success with more than 150 people attending and a wide variety of activities and entertainment including pony rides, bouncy castle, face painting and a visit from Santa.  Thank you to all those who helped to make the day great.  A special thank you goes out to the volunteers from Infomedia - Linda, Brian, Mark, Lara and Kevin.



Welcome!
We are delighted to welcome Liz Jewel as Coordinator of the Host Program. Many people may remember Liz from her previous involvement with NBI on the Peer, Saturday and Respite Options Programs. She brings a wide range of experience and skills to the position. She has most recently been working as Peer Coordinator within a community disability organisation. Liz will be in the office on Monday Wednesday and Thursdays

A very warm welcome is also extended to our new Bookkeeper Trish Wingfield. We have had a small restructure of the Administration team and Trish will head the team in a dedicated Bookkeeper position. with Sarith Dekker providing Administration Support and Venessa Crane continuing in her role as Clerical Assistant.



Farewell Claire Kennedy
We were all very sad to farewell Claire Kennedy our Administration Officer extraordinaire. Claire has has been a dedicated team member for the past 7 years.and has been central to the smooth running of NBI.

We wish Claire and Pete well in their travels around Australia  and the world –and look forward to lots of mail from far flung places.



NBI is delighted to welcome Linda Williams as the new president of our Board off Management. Linda was elected at our recent AGM and will take over from the retiring President Kay Koenig. Kay has made a huge contribution to NBI as President and on the Fundraising Committee and we are delighted that she will remain on the Board in the coming year. Linda joined the Board in early 2007. She is Human Resources Manager at a local company and brings a wide range of skills, experience and enthusiasm to the position.



Annual Report
Any member of NBI who was unable to attend the AGM is welcome to a copy of the Annual Report either by dropping in to the office or by calling or emailing us and requesting a copy be mailed.



The Board of Management for 2007/2008

President  Linda Williams
Vice President  Kathryn Saxby
Treasurer  Rebecca Isaacs
Secretary  Margaret Kerr
Public Officer  Andrew Miller
Board Member Kay Koenig
Board Member Robyn Kneebone
Board Member Mark Woolven
Board Member Susan Gomola

We would like to extend a huge thanks to retiring Board members Sophia Whitfield, Jayne Kelderman, Eliza Pross and Dawn McBride.