The Interlock team
Through 2020 and 2021, we were fortunate to identify locals with a heart to see things change in the Waipa area and formed the Interlock Trust.
Meet the Trustees
This team will help to govern the future direction of Interlock and guide them through their community, social, business and legal expertise to ensure that what we deliver is safe, affordable and productive for our members and our community.
In 2022, we became a Registered Charitable Trust and continue to write comprehensive business plans and policies under the guidance of both our trustees and the good folk at Community Waikato.
Aaron and Lois Ure
Founders
Aaron and Lois Ure have worked in the disability sector for over 30 years across youth, residential care, day service, and aged care settings. Over time, many positive changes have taken place for people living with a disability and their families. As a family, those changes also impacted them and their son's life with Autism, now in his 20s.
As a couple walking the fine line between consumers and providers, they understand the challenges and confines of working through systems to achieve the right outcome. The confines are not limited to what a person can achieve but include invisible and unspoken boundaries from family, providers and society that prevent personal and social growth.
Aaron is a visionary driver who loves the hands-on approach, while Lois is a detail-oriented and implementer person who enjoys the planning and execution of a good event. Together, they are focused on what it means to have a normal life within the confines of an individual's abilities in that present moment. As advocates for their son and community participation, they bring InterlockNZ a wealth of knowledge and practical experiences that will assist Interlock in delivering an ongoing program that continues to provide opportunities for growth, not just for the person identified with a disability but also for their families, caregivers, and community.
Colin Pierce
Chairperson
Colin brings to InterlockNZ a wealth of experience after a career that included executive marketing and sales roles within some of our country’s major companies. Colin went on to establish his own business, which became New Zealand’s largest promotional marketing agency.
It’s these skills that created many fundraising events for Child Cancer and Look Good Feel Better, and through his guidance and management, gained community support to sponsor young adults to attend Outward Bound.
Colin is now committed to bringing these skills to develop and manage relationships with the Cambridge community.
Nigel Salter
Treasurer
Nigel moved to Cambridge in 2019 from Far North Queensland to be near family. A qualified accountant, he has extensive experience in public accounting and has also worked in the mining, forestry, and sugar industries. He was a principal in a Cairns accounting firm for many years before serving as Company Secretary of a public company in the sugar milling industry until his retirement.
Deeply community-minded, Nigel was active in Cairns, serving on numerous boards including Trinity Anglican School—where he was Chairman—and the Cairns branch of the Leukaemia Foundation, Cairns and District Rugby Union, Tully Community Nursing Home, and Djarragun Indigenous College.
Since settling in Cambridge with his wife Christine, Nigel has continued his community involvement. He remains active in Rotary and serves on the boards of the Cambridge Men’s Rebus Club, Cambridge Bowling Club, and Friends of Resthaven Foundation Trust. He is Treasurer of Interlock NZ Trust and recently stepped down after nearly five years as Treasurer of Abbeyfield Waikato Inc.
Family is Nigel’s greatest joy, with two granddaughters in Cambridge and three in Melbourne. A lifelong sports enthusiast, he now enjoys bowls and cycling, while also spending time gardening and collecting stamps.
David Slone
David has extensive leadership experience across a range of sectors. Currently, he is the Area Manager, Maniapoto for the 2023 census at Statistics NZ. Previous roles include Director Strategy and Performance for a nationwide social enterprise; CEO of a disability provider, an Operations Manager within a District Health Board and a Project Manager in the Public Service.
David also works as “The Optimist Cynic”, an independent sounding board, business coach/mentor and an author. He is passionate about the concept of sustainable communities and the fundamental belief that business is a resource for doing good.
David also has governance roles with Impact Hub Waikato Trust, NZ Williams Syndrome Association, and, until recently, on the Community and Public Health Advisory Committee for Waikato DHB.
Kate Shaw
Kate has held leadership roles in the Disability Sector for 20 years, upon completion of a Bachelor of Organisational Psychology and Human Resource Management at the University of Waikato. Kate is currently fortunate enough to have been sponsored to be a member of the Community Enterprise Leadership Foundation (CELF) class of 2023. Currently, she is the General Manager of Partnership & Enablement at ConneXu, a role she has held for the last 10 years.
Kate has been a member of the Enabling Good Lives (EGL) Waikato Leadership Group as a provider representative, a position that she held for 8 years. Kate’s leadership purpose is to empower and assist vulnerable communities to have a voice and to flourish.
Kate grew up in Tauranga before heading to the mighty Waikato to attend University. Kate, her husband, and three children live at the base of Mount Pirongia, where they are equity owners of a 540-cow dairy farm, milking beautiful pure-bred Jersey girls. In her spare time, Kate enjoys being surrounded by family and friends and loves a day out to the lake for a spot of water-skiing.
Karen May QSM
Karen is passionate about the disability sector and advocates strongly for what she calls our “hidden community” — ensuring people are heard, valued, and have a safe place to connect through Interlock. Inspired by her late sister-in-law Melanie, Karen understands the importance of creating inclusive spaces where everyone feels accepted for who they are.
Alongside her role with Interlock, Karen brings extensive business and marketing expertise, helping to guide the Trust’s governance, compliance, and community presence. She also serves on the Hato Hone St John Area Committee and the Waipa Fun Run Committee, and has previously been a Board Member of Cambridge Lifeskills and the Cambridge Information Centre.
Awarded the Queen’s Service Medal in 2017 for services to the community, Karen is dedicated to giving back wherever she can. She lives in Cambridge with her husband and loves spending time with her two daughters and granddaughter, cherishing the close-knit community she calls home.
Karen Covell
Karen Covell brings extensive experience from over two decades in the health and disability sector to her role as a Board Member of Interlock Trust. Since 2004, she has served as Chief Executive of Progress to Health, leading the organisation through significant change and growth. In 2015, she helped launch PressGo, Progress to Health’s professional service aimed at creating healthy and vibrant workplaces, where she continues to have operational oversight.
Prior to this, Karen was Chief Executive of Epilepsy New Zealand and has worked within the NGO sector since 1997, developing deep insight into health and disability issues across local, regional, and national levels. She currently chairs the Waikato DHB Mental Health and Addiction Services Local Advisory Group, co-chairs Navigate Midland, and serves as a Manu Taki for the Waikato Wellbeing Project SDG3 working group.
Her leadership strengths span organisational development, strategic planning, and change management. Karen is known for her collaborative approach and ability to bring people together to achieve shared goals in a complex and evolving sector.
Margaret Stott
Secretary
Born in Manchester, England during WWII, Margaret (née Whelan) grew up in Christchurch and Ashburton. At nineteen she set off on her OE to visit her English grandparents, where she met her future husband, Jeff. The couple later settled in New Zealand and raised four sons. Today, with nine grandchildren and one great-grandson, Margaret enjoys a lively and fulfilling family life.
In England, Margaret worked as a receptionist and as an au pair. After starting her own family, she devoted herself to full-time parenting while also working nights as an aged-care assistant and contributing to several voluntary organisations. For three years, she and Jeff served as “house parents” at a large Catholic Social Services foster home in Wellington. When her children became more independent, she moved into administration at the local high school and later worked as a corporate receptionist for the Freightways Group in Auckland.
A keen genealogist, Margaret has written several family history books. Her interests have also included marathon running, swimming, lawn bowls, quilting, and competitive public speaking, earning her Life Membership of the Wellington Tecorians. Since retiring to Cambridge in 2012, she has volunteered with multiple community groups and is a Life Member of the Cambridge Bowling Club. Margaret is now delighted to take on the role of Interlock secretary, believing deeply in the programme’s value and its positive impact on members’ lives.
Our amazing team of Volunteers that are the backbone of all Interlock Activities
We’re reliant on, and incredibly grateful for our dedicated team of volunteers who show up week after week to support Interlock and help create meaningful memories and learning opportunities for everyone involved. From the Bakers Group on Tuesdays, to the Community Café on Wednesdays, and the craft sessions on Fridays, they bring a bucket-load of enthusiasm to every day. They help with set-up, clean-up, and everything in between — and we simply wouldn’t be able to offer the opportunities we do without their continued support.
Thanks to the team who do a fantastic job to provide the opportunities for us all.
"“Interlock has been a fantastic platform for my son and myself to build friendships and connections within our community, as well as having fun creating and seeing others enjoying the chance to try new skills and build confidence within themselves. ”
Christine Wallace, Parent
Contact Interlock Trust
Phone: 021 578 856
Email: interlocknz@outlook.co.nz
Cambridge Junior Rugby Club and Community Centre
Corner of Victoria and Taylor Street
Cambridge 3434