 From these seeds and activities, the Cookie Time Charitable Trust was formed, a vision determined, and a number of activities and initiatives started. The first of these being eTime - a unique learning centre driven by leading educators that encourages children and their teachers to explore, create and learn in a digital environment.
From the personal journey by one of the Trustee's families came the second, an alliance with the Davis Dyslexia Association.
This alliance aimed to awaken an awareness within the community about dyslexia and to offer solutions that help free children from the frustration and confidence-sapping nature of this 'special needs label' within the school community.
The Government's refusal to acknowledge dyslexia was determined to be the greatest barrier to helping and supporting dyslexic children and their families and so the Trust formed and funded the Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand (DFNZ) in November 2006.
Five months later, in April 2007, the Trust launched the Dyslexia Discovery Exhibit and the DFNZ was successful in having dyslexia officially recognised by the Minister of Education.
Since then, we have funded the creation of 4D - an initiative designed to support dyslexia action in schools and in the workplace. Sponsoring Autism New Zealand's Annual Appeal Week has been our biggest initiative in 2010. With the whole Cookie Time team on board, the Trust has a powerful founding sponsor that has been the driving force behind its formation and will be its major supporter into the future. |
