Mental health change champ wins ACC Supreme Attitude Award

For Immediate Release: November 30 2016

Mental health change champ wins ACC Supreme Attitude Award

A woman at the forefront of driving attitudinal change in New Zealand’s mental health system, Debra Lampshire, has won the ACC Supreme Award at the 2016 Attitude Awards.

Overcoming strong competition from champions in seven other categories, Debra first took out the Attitude Making a Difference category and was then selected for the top honour.

(subs note: full list of winners below)

In its ninth year, New Zealand’s Attitude Awards celebrate the excellence and achievements of Kiwis living with a disability.

Having grown bigger than some of the country’s other premiere awards, this year’s black tie gala for more than 700 people was held at Auckland’s ASB Arena and again hosted by TV news presenter Simon Dallow.

Debra Lampshire started hearing “voices” at six-years-old. She was eventually committed to Kingseat Psychiatric Hospital at 17 and remained there for 18 years. On her release, Debra took her medication and went between boarding houses and other psychiatric facilities. She never believed she would be able to live independently.

One day she met a visitor to one of the boarding houses who talked about restoring cars. She started thinking about restoring herself. Debra began to work on her anxiety and depression and to get the “voices” under control

These days the Aucklander is sought to speak at international conferences on the way she encourages people to be their own “life coach” and to live independently.

In her working life, Debra has dual roles - as a professional teaching fellow at the University of Auckland and as a project manager for a project on psychological interventions for enduring mental illness for the Auckland District Health Board.

Debra helps lead the development of psychological strategies for positive symptoms of psychosis and is the first non-clinician to do so. She is also a senior tutor with The University of Auckland’s Centre for Mental Health Research and Policy Development and current Chairperson for ISPS New Zealand (The International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis), where she is also on the international body.

Chief Executive of ACC Scott Pickering says the Attitude Awards shine a light on New Zealand’s unsung heroes like Debra and the other category winners.

“At ACC we’re delighted to support the Awards and to acknowledge a talented group of New Zealanders who live life to the fullest, achieve their goals and provide role models to our community.”

Other Attitude Award winners are: Eilish Wilkes (Youth Spirit), Tupou Seini Neiufi (Emerging Athlete), Graeme Porter (Sporting Spirit), Ese Aumalesulu (Spirit of Attitude), Rodney Bell (Artistic Achievement), John Burton (Entrepreneur) and Genera Ltd (ACC Employer).

Anne Hawker, the Principal Disability Adviser at the Ministry of Social Development, was inducted into the Attitude Hall of Fame and teenage running sensation Guy Harrison of Hawke’s Bay won the Attitude People’s Choice Award.

The Awards have grown out of the Attitude TV series which screens on TV ONE on Sunday mornings at 8:30AM.

Dan Buckingham, Chair of the Attitude Trust, says the Awards are about celebrating some outstanding New Zealand achievements, as well as shining a spotlight on disability.

“Last night we celebrated success and achievement across areas such as art, sport and the big one for us - employment and entrepreneurship. There were some spectacular moments on stage, with some very humble Kiwi's getting the recognition they deserve,” says Buckingham.

Sponsors supporting the Awards include: ACC, Westpac, Drake Medox, Ministry of Health, Barfoot & Thompson, Manawanui inCharge, Healthcare NZ, KPMG, Lion Foundation, Ricoh, Air New Zealand and New Zealand On Air. ACC has been the principal sponsor for nine years.

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Watch previous Awards footage at www.AttitudeLive.com

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Full list of winners and locations:

Attitude Youth Spirit

Eilish Wilkes – Auckland

Attitude Making a Difference Award

Debra Lampshire - Auckland

Attitude Emerging Athlete

Tupou Seini Neiufi - Auckland

Attitude Sporting Spirit

Graeme Porter - Nelson

The Spirit of Attitude
Ese Aumalesulu – Auckland

Attitude Artistic Achievement Award

Rodney Bell – Te Kuiti

Attitude Entrepreneur Award

John Burton - Auckland

Attitude ACC Employer Award

Genera Ltd - Napier

Attitude Hall of Fame inductee

Anne Hawker - Wellington

Attitude People’s Choice Award

Guy Harrison -Hawke’s Bay

Attitude ACC Supreme Award

Debra Lampshire - Auckland

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