Monday Sport Blast From The Past
Gordon Llewellyn is a name you have probably never heard off but he played a pivotal role in the birth of the Special Olympics movement in New Zealand.
In 1983, he and three other Hutt athletes – Colin Bailey, Peter Spijkerman and Brent Busby – made history when they attended the Summer Special Olympics in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The trip was organised by Grant Quinn, who later said Gordon Llewellyn proved the perfect poster boy for the Special Olympics movement in New Zealand.
Llewellyn was a larger than life character with a bold personality and a fascination with the TV character Magnum PI.
Years later Quinn recalled the flight over and an announcement that came over the intercom.
"This is your captain speaking … I have a very special passenger with me in the cockpit. His name is Gordon Llewellyn from New Zealand."
Llewellyn quickly took over the microphone and proceeded to entertain the whole plane.
"Next minute Gordon was asking, or should I say demanding, that everybody on board give the team a rousing three cheers to wish the team a successful time in Baton Rouge," recalled Quinn.
The team performed well at the Olympics and athletes returned home heroes, proudly wearing their medals for weeks to make sure nobody missed their success.
Llewellyn died in August 2014 and Quinn gave the eulogy. He told mourners that Llewellyn and the other three Hutt swimmers had changed the public's perception of the intellectually disabled.
They had helped win mainstream acceptance and played a key role in promoting an organisation that now had more than 7000 active members.
Poll: When should the tree go up? 🎄
From what we've heard, some Christmas trees are already being assembled and decorated.
What are your thoughts on the best time to get your Christmas tree up?
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5.1% Second half of November
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42.4% 1st December
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17.1% A week before Christmas
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33.9% Whenever you wish
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1.5% Other - I'll share below
Spring spruce up
Spring is the season of new beginnings and the perfect time to declutter and refresh your home. Imagine stepping into a space that feels open, organised, and filled with only what truly matters. Whether you’re looking to simplify your life, want to downsize, or just enjoy a more comfortable living space, decluttering is a great way to start.
With these expert tips from decluttering and organising specialist Peter Walsh, you can take small steps toward a clutter-free home that you’ll love spending time in.
Click read more for more article.
Hīkoi to parliament
Traffic heading into Wellington City has eased, however motorists should continue to expect significant delays in the city.
Hīkoi mō te Tiriti has reached Waitangi Park, with Police reporting no issues from this morning’s movements.
Another group of about 2000 people from the Hutt Valley began arriving at the Wellington Railway Station at around 8:30am.
The hīkoi is expected to begin their walk to Parliament along the Golden Mile (Courtenay Place, Manners Street, Willis Street and Lambton Quay) at 9am.
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