Congratulations to Phillip (Phil) Humphreys for being named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to people with disabilities and sport in the New Year Honours List 2024.

Phil has been involved with ParaFed Canterbury for over 40 years since he suffered a spinal injury while serving with the NZ Defence Force in Singapore.

As he was a naval physical training instructor prior to his accident Phil was eager to get back into assisting people in sport and within a year of his accident he had joined ParaFed Canterbury, and this would be the start of years of volunteering and assisting others with a disability.

His expertise saw a transformation in how athletes with a physical disability approached sport and how they trained and prepared for events. He was instrumental in changing the way people with a physical disability engaged in sport and improving their physical and mental wellbeing.

Over his time with ParaFed Canterbury he served on the Board and as Board Chairperson for over 25 years, he was awarded ParaFed Canterbury Life Membership in 2001 as recognition for the outstanding contribution he had given the organization and our members. He was also awarded Paralympics New Zealand Order of Merit in that same year for the work and support he had given athletes with a physical disability nationally.

Phil has assisted with events and teams as well as being a key volunteer manager when ParaFed Canterbury hosted the World Wheelchair Rugby Championships in Christchurch in 2006 where the event was awarded the best international sporting event in Christchurch for that year.

He was a Trustee and Chairperson of Paraloan between 2006 and 2018, an organisation assisting people with disabilities with low interest loans. He was a member of Waimakariri Access Committee from 2011 to 2018, offering accessibility advice for parking and buildings and training for council staff.

Phil has committed his life to assisting others with a disability and his legacy and work is still the cornerstone of what we do today.

Article added: Saturday 30 December 2023