Tribute to Colin Dale
After six years of dedicated service and contribution, Mr Colin
Dale CNZM has retired as the Chair of Auckland Regional Migrant Services (ARMS)
Charitable Trust.
At the annual meeting of the ARMS Trust last month, Mayor Len
Brown and others paid tribute to Colin Dale’s nine years as a Trustee and six
years of service as the Trust Chair.
ARMS Chief Executive, Dr Mary Dawson, described him as “a mighty
upholder of the importance of empowering and supporting communities, and a
staunch advocate for migrant communities and their settlement needs”.
While he was General Manager of the former Manukau Council, Colin
took a lead role in the development of the Auckland Regional Settlement Strategy
and Action Plan. Recognising the need for Auckland to provide direct assistance
to new migrants, he lent his support to the establishment of a ‘one-stop-shop’
organisation – the ARMS Trust – and resource centre to meet the need of new
settlers for settlement information and support.
As Mary Dawson said: “Colin has been a truly important asset to
the ARMS Trust in its first decade. ARMS has benefitted enormously from his
commitment to delivering on ARMS’ vision and mission, his in-depth management
and governance experience and expertise, his unobtrusive discernment, patience,
and listening abilities, and his humane guidance”. Colin assisted the Auckland
Transition Agency to ensure that the needs of migrant communities were not
forgotten in the new Auckland Supercity.
In addition to Colin, five other trustees were farewelled last
month. They were: Dr Amritha Sobrun-Maharaj, Etetu Bowden, Santino Deng,
Dr Philippa Reed, and Charm Jin Cai.
New Board Members
We are pleased to announce the appointment of four new Trustees –
Gurbrinder Aulakh, Gaila BarHava-Monteith, Nelson Egadu, and Emma Kelly
– who bring with them a wealth of professional talent and cultural expertise.
