Auckland leaders take up Silent Leadership Challange

MEDIA RELEASE

Tuesday, 23 July 2013

For immediate release

High profile Auckland leaders take up Silent Leadership Challenge

Influential leaders from around New Zealand are going deaf for the day for the Silent Leadership Challenge to raise awareness around hearing impairment.

20 Aucklanders out of 42 high profile leaders have signed up for the challenge on Friday 2 August. All participants will tackle three communication challenges in their workplace and one at home while wearing bright yellow hearing protectors to simulate deafness.

Some of the leaders include Brett O’Riley, CEO of ATEED (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development), Wayne Pickup, CEO, NZ Lotto, and Professor Peter Thorne, Professor of Audiology at The School of Population Health, University of Auckland.

Brett O’Riley was inspired to take part and raise money by The National Foundation for the Deaf‘s work on behalf of deaf and hearing impaired New Zealanders.

“I’m delighted to be involved in such an amazing event.  Both my grandfather and father had their hearing impaired in the workplace during their lifetimes and the more people that know about The National Foundation for the Deaf, the greater their impact will be,” he said.

With over $23,000 raised to-date, The Foundation is seeking others to get involved to meet their target of $100,000 in donations.  All funds raised will go towards The National Foundation for the Deaf to fund its advocacy and support work on behalf of deaf and hearing impaired New Zealanders, and its work to raise awareness of the need to prevent noise-induced loss hearing loss.

“We are absolutely delighted with the tremendous support to-date from a diverse range of leaders throughout New Zealand,” said The National Foundation for the Deaf CEO, Louise Carroll.

“But we’d love to see many more corporate and community leaders on board.”

To join the Challenge, leaders need to register online at www.silentleadershipchallenge.com and aim to raise funds by seeking sponsorship donations from people in their professional and social networks.

On the day of the Challenge, participants will be posting photos and personal stories online via the Foundation’s Facebook and Twitter pages, using the hash tag #silentleadershipchallenge.

Registrations close on Wednesday 31 July at 5:00pm.

All information on the event and cause can be found at www.silentleadershipchallenge.com.

ENDS

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