HISTORY OF THE TOY LIBRARY FEDERATION OF NEW ZEALAND
In 1972 Miss Gillian Gorick, a physiotherapist from Hamilton took up the idea of a Toy Library with the Crippled Children Society. Planning began, and in 1974 Hamilton became the first center in New Zealand to have a Toy Library.
Since then others have taken up the challenge, and there are now over 175 toy libraries spread between Kerikeri and Invercargill.
Although Toy Libraries had been operating in New Zealand since 1974 it was not until 1980 that it was felt a national body of some description was needed. At the 1980 National Conference in Rotorua, it was decided to set up the New Zealand Toy Library Association. In 1981 this became a reality and the Toy Library Federation of New Zealand was formed.
A committee of 10 people formed the first Toy Library Federation Board and from there the Board has developed into the Board as we know it today. To start with Board members met at homes around the country and all correspondence was by telephone and mail (no faxes and computers then!) with all written correspondence being handwritten or typed on a manual typewriter.
One of the earlier pieces of correspondence received by the Board was from Spike Milligan in England. Being the Patron of the Toy Library Association in the United Kingdom he greatly supported the idea of Toy Libraries and what they stood for.
The Board of Trustees now meets four times a year and holds the AGM via zoom.
Meet the TLFNZ Board
In 1972 Miss Gillian Gorick, a physiotherapist from Hamilton took up the idea of a Toy Library with the Crippled Children Society. Planning began, and in 1974 Hamilton became the first center in New Zealand to have a Toy Library.
Since then others have taken up the challenge, and there are now over 175 toy libraries spread between Kerikeri and Invercargill.
Although Toy Libraries had been operating in New Zealand since 1974 it was not until 1980 that it was felt a national body of some description was needed. At the 1980 National Conference in Rotorua, it was decided to set up the New Zealand Toy Library Association. In 1981 this became a reality and the Toy Library Federation of New Zealand was formed.
A committee of 10 people formed the first Toy Library Federation Board and from there the Board has developed into the Board as we know it today. To start with Board members met at homes around the country and all correspondence was by telephone and mail (no faxes and computers then!) with all written correspondence being handwritten or typed on a manual typewriter.
One of the earlier pieces of correspondence received by the Board was from Spike Milligan in England. Being the Patron of the Toy Library Association in the United Kingdom he greatly supported the idea of Toy Libraries and what they stood for.
The Board of Trustees now meets four times a year and holds the AGM via zoom.
Meet the TLFNZ Board