Conversations & Bubbles - Matahui School Fundraiser

Join us for an inspiring and insightful afternoon at Matahui School, where we’ll explore how to better understand, support, and celebrate the neurodiverse children in our lives.

Enjoy bubbles and nibbles as you mix and mingle, before diving into a discussion with our guest speakers who bring both professional expertise and lived experience to the conversation.

We’ll be joined by Freddie Bennett, Co-Founder of Bay Paediatrics, who will share his powerful personal journey with ADHD, from struggling with overwhelm and burnout to breaking world records and advising global brands. Freddie will offer an uplifting, real-world perspective on how embracing neurodiversity can unlock potential and build resilience—not just for our children, but for the whole family.

We’ll hear from Tanzi Bennison a highly experienced clinical psychologist who specialises in working with children and families navigating anxiety, neurodivergence, and emotional wellbeing. Tanzi will guide us through compassionate and evidence-based ways to support children through anxiety, drawing from her Chillax® programme and decades of therapeutic experience.

We’ll gain insight from Mary Woods, the Principal at Matahui School, who has taught both gifted, neurodiverse, and children with disabilities. Her presentation will be short, but she will share what has been implemented at Matahui School and how the school caters for a range of children's abilities. She'll talk about the strategies that work for many children, irrespective of their academic ability or disability—because what works for some children doesn’t always work for others. 

Whether you're a parent, educator, or caregiver, this event will leave you feeling empowered and inspired with new insights and strategies to better support our neurodiverse children.

About the Speakers

Tanzi Bennison is a registered Clinical Psychologist who completed her training at the University of Canterbury in 2003. She has worked in a variety of mental health settings in both New Zealand and the United Kingdom spending most of her time supporting children, young people and their parents. Tanzi has a range of clinical interests including neurodivergence, depression, anxiety, trauma, attachment difficulties, parenting and family relationships. She currently works in private practice in Tauranga and has also been involved in a number of community-based group programs. Tanzi uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based and family systems approaches. She also has a background in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

Tanzi has developed the Chillax® program to help parents, teachers and health practitioners support young people struggling with anxiety. The online resources include proven anxiety management strategies and principles presented in ways that are easy to use and understand. For more information please visit www.chillax.org.nz

Freddie Bennett is on a mission to help families lean into their ADHD advantage. He's a Guinness World Record holder, has completed the world's toughest footrace - running 300km across the Sahara Desert in 6 days - and has also run across the frozen Arctic towards the North Pole.

What makes Freddie unique is that he isn't an athlete, macho special forces soldier or privileged adventurer. He's a dad with ADHD, struggling with the chaos of a neurodiverse family on a daily basis. Before his own neurodiversity was diagnosed, Freddie was stressed, depressed, unfit, overwhelmed and overweight. But after his diagnosis, he decided to embrace his 'misfit mindset' and discover what he was capable of

Since then, Freddie has featured in Men's Health Magazine, 1News, SevenSharp, Women's Weekly and the BBC. He has advised businesses such as Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Virgin Atlantic, Vodafone, Amazon and Hewlett-Packard on neurodiversity and behavioural change, and has delivered lectures on resilience to the United Nations.

Everyone talks to children about neurodiversity being a superpower. Freddie is the person who actually proves to them what is possible. Freddie is also the Managing Director of Bay Paediatrics - New Zealand's Neurodiversity Centre of Excellence.

For more information please visit https://baypaediatrics.com/ 

Mary Woods has been a teacher for 25 years and brings to Matahui School experience in teaching students who have a diverse range of learning styles and attributes. She specialises in teaching gifted and talented children. During her career, she has led in many areas, including IT; strategic planning; implementing digital programmes; Science; Future Problem Solving; Literacy, and Mathematics. She has accompanied groups of students to the United States of America to represent New Zealand at the Future Problem Solving Internationals. Science and Future Problem Solving are areas of passion for Mary, as she believes that often within these areas students gain an understanding of real global issues and how they can play an important role in improving humankind. She enjoys seeing children flourish in a supportive environment where they can develop their specific gifts and talents. 

For more information visit https://matahui.school.nz/