our journey
“Buying the coffee cart was key. I noticed an improvement in everything for my son who has Down Syndrome. He worked as part of a team and I saw him teaching customer service skills to someone with autism, while they taught him how to use the coffee machine. It has shown me and Alison the amazing things that happen when people work together and share their strengths.”
– Rachel Hill, Taimahi Trust Chair & Co-Founder
Taimahi Trust was co-founded by two mothers of sons with intellectual disabilities – Rachel Hill and Alison Faithfull. Frustrated at the lack of training and employment opportunities for their highly capable children, they embarked on a hugely rewarding but challenging path to do better for young people with intellectual and learning disabilities in Whangārei.
From the coffee cart beginnings, we now have a range of employment training programs for our trainees, including our retail shop, commercial kitchen, herbarium, barista and own brand coffee, and operations administration.
Our Board
Rachel Hill, Chair
Rachel is a founding member of Taimahi Trust who, as a mother of a son with an intellectual disability, has seen how challenging it can be for him to gain meaningful employment. She brings a wealth of experience, with over twenty years in business and project management. As well as chairing Taimahi Trust, she now runs a successful career coaching practice, helping people find work they love. Her son Nathan is a trainee with the Trust.
Lindsay & Alison Faithfull, Trustees
Lindsay and Alison are founding members of the Trust and parents of a son with Down Syndrome. Lindsay is the CEO of McKay, one of the largest privately owned electrical contracting companies in Aotearoa New Zealand, where Alison previously plied her trade as Human Resources Manager. As parents and employers, they understand the challenges of employing an individual with an intellectual disability, but also the unique strengths they can offer in the workplace. Their son Adam is a trainee with the Trust.
Jo Wyld, Trustee
Jo is an experienced Marketing & Content Lead, with 10 years experience working across sustainability, corporate responsibility and professional services marketing and communications in both London and Auckland.
Mike Dunshea, Trustee
Mike is the Chief Financial Officer of Being AI and Send Global. He brings three decades of experience in accounting and finance to the Board. Mike has a broad background in finance, IT, facilities and sales working at governance and board level within commercial and professional services organisations.