It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Flora Tuhaka on 15th September 2008. Flora Tuhaka had been a Family Therapist and a Community Development Worker for 20 years at the Family Centre. For much of that time she led the Māori Section. Flora was, and always will be, an inspiration to the Family Centre and the many families and individuals for whom she worked tirelessly and helped throughout her life. In March 2008 an International Symposium on Therapy and Community Work was held in Flora’s honour. Presenters travelled from three continents to honour Flora and her work by presenting workshops and papers on their own specialist areas.

The presenters were: Carol Halliwell – Consultant Family Therapist, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services, London, Lecturer at the Tavistock Clinic in London; Cheryl White and David Denborough – Dulwich Centre Institute of Community Practice, Adelaide, Australia; Andrea Aidells and Lisa Berndt – Members of Bay Area Partnerships for Social Justice, Oakland, California.

 A special church service was held at St James in Lower Hutt and a dinner in the town hall the next day in honour of Flora’s work at the Family Centre and as a priest in Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa (the Māori Anglican Church). Archbishop Brown Turei and Bishops Muru Walters and Tom Brown blessed Flora during a celebratory bi-cultural service. It was also a joy to have Archdeacon Warihi Campbell and Flora’s dear friends the Reverends Cecilia Rooderkerk and Pat Sisley from the Te Pīhopatanga, officiate at the service.

Below is a selection of photos of the three events.