It's been a big year - see you in 2023!
Kia ora members
Thanks for a great year with the UFBA!
It's been a big one...
The UFBA achieved a lot this year for members. In addition to all of the above, we also launched our Professional Standards and continued to raise the voice of volunteer firefighters with sector and political leaders. We will keep this momentum going to progress the positive changes our sector needs to see.
It has been a significant year for our Advocacy and Support Team. The UFBA is proud to be able to support and advocate for individuals going through the complaints process, we have a highly skilled core team dedicated to this work and 18 trained volunteer supporters who are here to help their colleagues - volunteers helping volunteers.
The return of our AGM and Conference (Hui) was a great success - we even had significant live-stream viewer numbers. Just a reminder that the keynote speaker recordings are available on our website for members to view anytime - even while sitting on a beach!
UFBA Chair, Hon. Peter Dunne and CE Bill Butzbach took time this year to get out to the Districts and meet with brigades on the Connection Tour. With a number of priorities that members advised us were important to them, we have a lot of work to do, and we are excited to launch into 2023 with a plan to be put to the Board at their first meeting. We will be visiting more Districts and members next year - so keep an eye out for a location near you and key updates on our progress.
Following the Connection Tour, members strongly suggested the UFBA re-establish the Brigade Reps Network. We have simplified the Terms of Reference and we are keen to get this ball rolling. A formal calling for Brigade Reps will be published early in the new year, however if you're ready to go now, get in touch with us by replying to this email.
While already alluding to some of our plans for 2023, we also have a FULL year of Challenges. Leadership Workshops are scheduled for March & April and to top it all off, we are running two sports in the Australasian Police and Emergency Services (APES) Games in March - the Truck Pull and the Firefighter Challenge Race. You can view all of our upcoming events, workshops and Challenges on our website.
Our staff are having a break for the holidays. We will be closed from 5pm Thursday 22 December 2022 and reopening 8.30am Monday 9 January 2023. For urgent matters over this period, please call 04 237 0265 for assistance.
From all the staff at the UFBA, we wish you a safe, festive and joyful holiday season.
Kia kaha, kia Kotahi ra
Our strength is in our unity
Ngā mihi nui
UFBA
