About ME Respite
Our Vision
To improve the quality of life and care for those with ME/CFS in New Zealand by bringing help, support and hope to them.
Our History
ME RESPITE (Formally Rest Assured Respite Charitable Trust) was set up in 2016 to address the unmet needs of those with ME/CFS and FM by Wendy Matthews who had nursing background and a desire to see a respite centre established, Phil Letford an accountant who had a family member with ME/CFS and Mel Mason a retired business owner who recognised the lack of respite care available in general. When others heard of the vision they offered financial and practical help to get it started.
Originally offering ready to heat meals and supermarket deliveries, it was quickly realised that many recipients suffered from financial challenges, with food and nourishment being key to recovery. We were able to secure support from providers offering quality, donated food items which we were able to distribute to our recipients directly. We added on additional services in the following years allowing us to ease the financial burden of obtaining wholesome food and groceries.
In 2018 we opened our first op shop THE CHARITY BOUTIQUE in Howick, as a way of being able to support the administrative work for our activities and create awareness in the community. We opened a second shop THE CHARITY CORNER in Mt Roskill. This store also provides a Hub from which to run our MEals Programme.
The Trust was originally named Rest Assured Respite Charitable Trust, identifying the collective need of Rest and Respite as a path to recovery. In 2024 the Trust agreed to be represented by a more concise, wholistic name that covered all of its services and rebranded to ME RESPITE.
At that time we also adopted a set of Values that reflect our organisation and how we approach the work we do in our communities.
Our Values
Reliable
Consistent delivery of our services and support.
Doing what we say we will do. If we say someone will get something, they will get it. Well informed as an organisation, we stay up to date and connected with the last medical research and findings with ME/CFS and FM.
Trustworthy
Honest, truthful and transparent in our actions.
In how we treat our members, staff, volunteers, and donors and what we expect of those we interact with. We display integrity in all we do. We provide a safe place for our members to share their needs and experiences and we believe them.
Caring
Have a kind and unprejudiced approach to everyone.
We show patience, empathy, and understanding in all our interactions. We show gratitude for the help we are given by all persons that support us.
Our Team
These are the people who together bring you this much needed resource. We have a collective of staff and volunteers who work so hard to ensure our services reach those who need it most. Some of them have either experienced the illness themselves or care for a loved one with the illness. They are passionate about helping those with ME/CFS and FM. Behind the scenes, are the ones you don’t see. All those with ME/CFS and FM who are still sick as they are encourage us, and help us when they have the energy.
Our Governance Team
Wendy Mathews
Chair / Trustee
Wendy worked as a registered nurse. She has run ME/CFS/FM Support Groups and served on local and national ME/CFS Boards and Committees. An advocate for families and those with the illness, she is committed to seeing a place of respite established.
Phil Letford
Trustee
Phil is a Chartered Accountant who has volunteered time and expertise to national ME/CFS and other Not For Profit organisations. He is aware of the need for education and support for carers and those with ME/CFS.
Jan-Willem Sudmann
Trustee
Jan has worked in the financial service industry for 30+ years, living in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia. He is delighted to assist people with ME/CFS in NZ. He enjoys engaging with communities who deserve more support for their often challenging environments.
Dr Ros Vallings
Our Medical Advisor
MNZM, MB BS (Lond), MRCS LRCP, Dip Clin Hyp, BA (Massey)
A leading expert in ME/CFS, Dr Vallings provides ME RESPITE with guidance on our approach to support programmes and education on best practices for those we serve. Having held a medical practice for many years working with ME/CFS patients since the illness was recognised, she has had a key role in establishing some of the supporting organisations and involvement in the latest research on ME/CFS around the globe.
Our Operational Team
Phil Morton
Chief Executive Officer
Phil is a passionate supporter of the Trust, as he has a number of family members with ME/CFS. He brings extensive knowledge of Sales, Distribution and Relationship Management to the team. Working to co-ordinate the overall working of The Trust to realise The Trust vision.
Justin Wright
Accountant
Justin, a Chartered Accountant with 20+ years of accounting and management experience in sectors including aviation, retail, online and manufacturing businesses, is committed to ensuring the trust’s in a sound financial position to make a difference for those with ME/CFS.
Debbie Wiesehan
Programme Coordinator
Debbie has worked extensively in the Non-Profit sector. She has run her own NGO for 18 years and cares deeply for those who are marginalised in our society. Her role is to oversee the running of all our support programmes and services and is the main point of contact for our recipients and members.
Gypsy Hyde
Operations & Events Coordinator
Gypsy Hyde is our Operations and Events Coordinator, overseeing our general operations, events, and volunteer programme. Gypsy feels strongly about working for good people who are doing good things, and helping wherever possible, those who might need support. She is backed by a Bachelor of Communications and has 15+ years’ experience working for and with a variety of New Zealand businesses across different sectors.
Our Retail Champions
Cara Marris
Manager – The Charity Boutique
Cara loves her work and especially meeting all the wonderful customers that walk through the doors. She has a strong background in Retail Management. Her aim for The Charity Boutique is for people to find treasures in store and to be able to offer them fabulous service.
Linda Clark
Manager – The Charity Corner
Linda loves upcycling and repurposing items. She had 30 years experience in Retail Management before working for NFP’s and has found it inspiring and humbling working with amazing volunteers. She feels privileged to help raise funds for this very worthy cause.
Our Other Volunteers
We want to make note of the many other volunteers who support us both in short and long term positions. They help us with many of our activities including but not limited to:
HR / Marketing / Website Management / Business Analytics / Communications / Design / Administration / Meal Deliveries / Op Shops / Handy Work / IT and so much more.