Triple vote for charity in 2012 NZer of the Year Awards

28th November 2011

Triple vote for charity in 2012 New Zealander of the Year Awards

Both founders of the charity StarJam and the organisation itself are semi-finalists for the 2012 New Zealander of the Years awards. In the announcement that was made on 24th November by New Zealander of the Year awards, Julie Bartlett has been chosen amongst the final 10 in the Local Hero category, her husband Roy Bartlett in the Senior category and StarJam amongst nine others named in the Community category. More than 500 nominations were received for these awards.

The organisation and its founders have won seven awards since 2007 and have been finalists for three others. “These awards reaffirm what our families are telling us; that our programmes are providing opportunities that are not available anywhere else and their children start achieving things never thought possible,” says Bartlett.

Julie Bartlett’s brother Ross Moses who has Down Syndrome inspired his sister to start StarJam and is its CEO. Roy Bartlett who works fulltime as volunteer office manager has the neurological disease Multiple Sclerosis. More than 500 young people with disabilities have become involved in the organisation’s performance workshop programmes.

The couple live in Orakei, Auckland, a short distance from StarJam’s national office in Remuera. Finalists for the awards will be announced on 12th December.

Background Information on StarJam

StarJam is a super-charity which creates national and international limelight opportunities for young people with disabilities. Known as “Jammers”, StarJam kids gain respect, confidence, empowerment, new friends, new hope and new purpose within a fun and inclusive atmosphere Our belief is that “wildly positive change” affects not just them and their families but their peer groups and the wider “able-bodied” community in their perception of kids with disabilities. There are 24 performance workshop programmes spread throughout Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington each week in song, dance, percussion and guitar. StarJam has been acknowledged in ten different awards programmes since 2007. www.starjam.org

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