Our national conference and AGM, held in Nelson over the weekend of July 26-27, was an opportunity for Abbeyfield representatives from around the country to share ideas and expand their knowledge.

We were privileged to have Cheryl Dean, Abbeyfield International Partnership Manager, as a guest speaker. She gave an interesting update on Abbeyfield internationally and spoke about the increasing diversity in Abbeyfield houses around the world. There was also an informative presentation on elder abuse by Mal Drummond, the elder abuse response services adviser for Age Concern Nelson Tasman. Over the weekend there were various workshops and a round of “clock cricket” at the end of the conference proved a big hit. Clock cricket is a new version of cricket aimed at people who are less mobile, and is being played by residents of Abbeyfield houses in the United Kingdom. We believe our game of clock cricket at the conference was a first for New Zealand!