09 May 2005

Christian Heritage NZ Announces Deputy Leader

Christian Heritage NZ announced today the appointment of a new deputy leader. Derek Blight of Hokitika has been appointed to the position with the full support of the CHNZ Board. Mr Blight has extensive experience in education and more recently in working with at-risk youth and restorative justice programmeson the West Coast. He is m arried with four children and he and his wife Diana are elders in the Hokitika Christian Fellowship. (For more information refer attached personal profile).

CHNZ leader Ewen McQueen said he was pleased to be able to have as the deputy someone of such high calibre and substantial community experience. McQueen stated,

"From the first time I met Derek I could see he was a man of genuine faith, and with a real heart for the youth of New Zealand. It is a privilege to have him take up such an important role within what will become our parliamentary team. He is someone who has already contributed a huge amount to his local community. The wisdom and experience he has gained there will be invaluable in helping Christian Heritage NZ to provide our nation with the grass-roots leadership it needs."

Derek Blight stood for Christian Heritage in the West Coast-Tasman seat in the 2002 election and will do so again this year.

Derek Blight - Personal Profile

Derek is 56 years of age, son of a Methodist minister, husband of Diana, (married for 29 years), father of Peter, Samuel, Sarah and David, grandfather of three grand-daughters and has lived in Hokitika for the last 27 years.

He graduated from Massey University with a B.A. degree in Education and Geography in 1972 and also has a Diploma in Teaching. He is a former school teacher (having had 18 years teaching experience) and is past principal of Hokitika Christian School.

He is currently the Westland District Safer Community Council Coordinator (that is, working in crime prevention work), and has initiated the Hokitika Youth Board programme which is a unique South Island programme dealing with youth under the age of 17 years who have committed crime. Derek has also initiated the West Coast Restorative Justice Programme (of which he is now the chair) and more recently, the Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentoring Programme in Westland.

Derek is an elder at Hokitika Christian Fellowship and preaches in church regularly. He is also a member of the Christian Development Trust.

He is also the chair of the Christian Education New Zealand Trust (CENZA) which is a Christian home-schooling programme used around New Zealand, and chair of Westland Victim Support.

ENDS

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