Cookie Time Staves Off Hot Competition

Media Release

19 April 2010

Cookie Time Staves Off Hot Competition for Autism NZ Opportunity

The Cookie Time Charitable Trust has staved off hot competition from a range of Kiwi businesses including a Christchurch strip club to win Autism New Zealand’s $250,000 Appeal Week sponsorship package.

The Trust today posted the winning bid of $52,100 for the sponsorship rights, which Autism NZ had marketed via online auction site Trade Me. The bid enabled the Trust to see off bids from a wide range of interested businesses, including fuel rewards programme company Smartfuel and Christchurch adult entertainment venue Calendar Girls.

Cookie Time Charitable Trust Trustee Michael Mayell was delighted to have won the sponsorship package.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have secured this opportunity. This was a last minute bid, as we’d only heard about it late last night, but it wasn’t a difficult decision. It’s a deserving cause, and something that fits in well with other initiatives the Cookie Time Charitable Trust has championed.”

It is also a cause that is near to their hearts, as fellow trustee Guy Pope-Mayell (Michael’s brother) has a child on the Autism spectrum.

“The Cookie Time Charitable Trust has already made a huge difference for children with learning difficulties through its sponsorship of the Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand. This is a perfect opportunity to focus on a related area that will help the Trust fulfil its mission, which is helping New Zealand kids discover their gifts.”

The Trust, via the Dyslexia Foundation, last year introduced the revolutionary 4D | For Dyslexia programme to New Zealand schools to aid classroom learning for children with dyslexia.  4D also stands for 4 Difference and Diversity, and the programme works on the principle that finetuning the teaching for those with dyslexia also has distinct benefits for people with other learning or behavioural challenges.

“The “notice and adjust” approach that 4D promotes to teachers and employers equally applies to children with autism so our support of Autism New Zealand just makes sense.”

The Dyslexia Foundation is coincidentally conducting an enhanced 4D workshop during this year’s Autism Appeal Week designed at helping teachers adjust learning and teaching techniques not only for students with dyslexia, but also those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Developmental Coordination Disorder, dyspraxia or Autism Spectrum Disorders. Held on June 4, it will be conducted by international dyslexia expert Neil Mackay.

Mr Mayell was looking forward to working closely with Autism NZ.

“We are also excited about exploring opportunities for an ongoing partnership between the Trust and Autism NZ, based around principles of celebrating difference.”
 
Most of the funds that the Trust raises are by way of the Cookie Time Christmas Cookies campaign. A dollar from each bucket sold is donated to the Trust, and last year, 210,000 buckets were sold, enabling donations to the Trust to top the $1 million mark.

“It’s wonderful to be in a position to support Autism New Zealand, and we can only do this through the generosity that New Zealanders have shown us.”

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