Family Help Trust patrons & kaumatua

PATRON, His Honour Judge Andrew Becroft, Principal Youth Court Judge of New Zealand. In 1986 he helped establish the Mangere Community Law Centre and worked as its senior solicitor until 1993. He then worked as a criminal barrister in South Auckland until his appointment to the District Court in 1996, then as Principal Youth Court Judge in 2001. He is married with three children, and is a keen sports watcher (but an average participant). He is a strong advocate of youth issues.

PATRON, Dame Lesley Max, has been a strong advocate for New Zealand children for many years. She is CEO of the Great Potentials Foundation - "helping children, young people and families to flourish" - and has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Family Help Trust since its inception in 1990. In the 2010 New Years Honours list she was made a dame companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to children.

The following are previous Patrons, whose contributions we acknowledge and treasure:

	Dame Sylvia Cartwright Patron, 2004 - 2006 Governer-General of New Zealand from 2001-2006, Dame Sylvia was always a keen supporter of our work and spoke out frequently about this country's poor record on child abuse.
	Dame Ann Ballin Patron, 2000 - 2003 Dame Ann was a trustee of Family Help Trust for about 10 years. In 2000, when her mobility was quite compromised and she could no longer attend board meetings, she was appointed as our National Patron. Dame Ann became involved in our work because she could see the importance of interrupting generational dysfunction. Helping us with our work also had the potential of decreasing the number of victims. She died in 2003.
	KAUMATUA, Koka Heeni Phillips, had iwi affiliations with Kahungunu, Rongowhakaata, Rongomaiwahine, Ruapani and Ngati Porou. She was a practitioner of Rongoa Maori (traditional Maori healing) since 1984, a 40-year campaigner for Te Reo Maori and Kapahaka, and a staunch advocate of the Kohanga Reo movement since 1981. In 2000 she established Te Rapana Trust to promote and protect the right of Maori to practise Rongoa. She died in 2011. "The Family Help Trust Board and staff wish to pay respect to the life and mahi of Koka Heeni Phillips who passed away this week. Koka Heeni offered her aroha, her wisdom and her knowledge, to our staff unstintingly. We pass on our thoughts to the whanau. Your love and support for each other will carry on the spirit of Koka Heeni. Arohanui kua takoto ana ki te rangimarie ia." — Annabel Taylor (Chairperson).