Governor General presents awards to children

PRESS RELEASE
Monday 20 October 2013

The Governor General presents awards to children with Down Syndrome

To celebrate the achievements of young people with Down Syndrome, the Governor General of New Zealand, Lt Gen TheRt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae and Lady Janine Mateparae, will be hosting the annual Frances Clarke Memorial Awards at Government House, Wellington at 10am on Tuesday 4th November.

This will be the 24th year these awards have been presented by the Wellington Down Syndrome Association, in memory of a special little girl Frances Clarke who was born in 1985 with Down Syndrome and died four years later from Leukaemia.

We’re incredibly lucky to have as our guest speaker Wellington's star netball player Irene van Dyk. She is one of the world's best known netballers and most capped international player of all time. She has represented New Zealand for 14 years before she retired from the sport in June this year. Irene is one of the most popular people in the Wellington region and she is here today to support our Down Syndrome community.

These awards recognise and encourage special achievements of people born with Down Syndrome in the greater Wellington district. Special achievements need not be spectacular nor world first but they will have taken determination, application and perseverance. They demonstrate the ability of someone with Down Syndrome to overcome their difficulties by completing a task or by showing through their way of life and attitudes towards others that they lead full and rewarding lives.

“The Frances Clarke memorial awards are an opportunity to raise public awareness of people with Down Syndrome within our community and to showcase their achievements. This is the 24th year these awards have been presented and we’re very honoured to once again to have the ceremony hosted by the Governor General of New Zealand at Government House” said Wellington Down Syndrome Association Co-ordinator Noreen MacMahon.

(ENDS)

Wellington Down Syndrome Association is a Non Profit organisation made up mainly of families who share the common bond of a family member with Down syndrome. Our aim is to provide support and information to members and to increase both public awareness and understanding of Down syndrome.

Website: www.wdsa.co.nz

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