Needing to find a special place
As parents of a young man with disabilities, we know too well the challenges of finding not just activities but a special place that gives purpose and meaning to people living with a disability.
How Interlock began
InterlockNZ started initially during first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 as a way to keep our son occupied while at home from his regular support service provider in Te Awamutu. We helped him with projects such as building birdhouses and creating crafts to send to the support team; this provided some light relief from those long hours inside.
“Interlock is the best group ever”.
To have a place to go to that caters for people with disabilities, a place where you are treated as an equal, a place where you are not judged for your limitations but encouraged and supported to be the best person you can be. It is run by two amazing people Aaron and Lois Ure, they give so much of their time and are so generous of heart. True angels in disguise. I love doing their crafts and the volunteers are awesome. My highlight of this term has to be the steampunk fashion parade, I had the best time ever and have made very special long-lasting friendships.
Joseph Leet, Member
Discovering a need
Talking with other local families we all agreed the services on offer in Waipā had become quite limited, especially for those requiring less intensive support but still requiring some help to access community life and connect. The options in Te Awamutu and Hamilton weren’t meeting the needs of the people we were connecting with, who wanted something closer to home so we could meet with peer groups and connect with our local community.
We recognised there were only two options; continue the daily commute to Te Awamutu or Hamilton for programmes not available in Cambridge or start a locally run group with a unique local focus.
Help Interlock fulfill a community need
From Small Beginings
In June 2020, we held our first meeting at the Red Cross hall in Cambridge, initially to gauge the interest and response from both the disability and secular communities. The group soon began to swell, and in January 2021 we relocated into the Alpha Lodge hall to cater for our growing numbers. From 2022 we have been based at the Cambridge Junior Rugby and Community Sports Club Inc., which gives us a permanent base.
Board of Trustees
We’ve formed a board of trustees to help govern the future direction of InterlockNZ. We became a registered entity and achieved charity status under guidance from Community Waikato and started writing comprehensive business plans and policies with them. Karen May and the team from Kaz Design have come on board and gifted this website and the knowledge/support to get it up and running.
"The name ‘Interlock’ signifies building a strong community that allows for difference and involvement at all levels. A community that is caring and connected, linking the individual, the disability and the community in unique and lasting ways.
Aaron and Lois Ure, Cambridge