Welcome to The Runway Foundation – Term four Newsletter 2025!
This is our final newsletter for the year, and what a year it’s been.
Term 4 has been a busy and exciting one, and while we’re looking forward to a well-earned break, we’d love to take a moment to look back and celebrate everything that made this final term so special.
A message from Terese: Chief Encouragement Officer!
Kia ora parents, whānau and friends,
As we reach the end of 2025, we love to look back and see all the richness in community that we have experienced together, and to joyfully and wondrously witness the magnificent growth in the tamariki and rangatahi we journey alongside—those who take brave steps, discover new strengths, and shine in their own unique ways. It truly has been a joy for our entire team.
We also loved gathering with our wider community for our Thriving with ADHD event and were incredibly grateful to our speakers, who shared their stories with such authenticity and wisdom from different perspectives.
In November, we marked Runway’s 10-year anniversary of serving in our community with a celebration event. We acknowledge this significant milestone—the winding journey, the highs, the lows, the growth—and give sincere thanks to all who have contributed to our mahi over the last 10 years. Thank you for journeying with us—your encouragement, volunteering, partnership, and support make all the difference.
Now, looking forward, we are excited for what the future holds! Watch this space for a special announcement in early 2026!
As we look to the new year, we reflect on a simple image of hope: the pōhutukawa, our New Zealand Christmas tree. It grows where the wind can be fierce and the ground rocky, yet its roots hold fast and its flowers blaze red right when the season calls. Like the pōhutukawa, our young people are putting down strong roots, weathering the gusts, and—with the shelter of whānau and community—bursting into colour in their time.
Wishing you and your loved ones a beautiful Christmas and a hope-filled New Year. May this season bring peace, joy, and fresh hope, as we continue to grow together.
Meri Kirihimete, ngā mihi o te tau hou.
With gratitude,
Terese and the Runway Team
ADDventurers Kids Club – Term Four 2025
The final term of 2025 ended on a high, with our Kids Club Christmas sessions proving to be a huge success. The children enjoyed festive games and Christmas art, and were delighted to receive a small gift at the end of each session.
Our older group also shared a special farewell session as they prepared to transition into our Youth Group next year. It has been a real pleasure having them as part of the Kids Club whānau, and we’re excited to continue walking alongside them as they take this next step in their journey.
Wishing you all a wonderful break and a Merry Christmas.
Aroha nui,
Ilse Breytenbach
ADDventurers Youth – Term Four
Kia ora whānau,
A huge congratulations to our senior youth who smashed their exams — we’re so proud of the effort you put in and the results you’ve achieved.
Youth Nights have been full of creativity, with everyone painting canvases across two stages. We kicked things off with epic sunsets and oceans, then added mountains and birds to bring each piece to life. So much talent and so much fun!
It’s been an incredible year and a fantastic final term. We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a restful holiday break.
Ngā mihi nui,
Kelvin Moana
Youth Graduation
At our most recent Youth Night, we had the special opportunity to celebrate Marty — our one and only graduating youth.
Marty joined ADDventurers for Kids Clubs many years ago, graduating into the youth programme, and it has been a real privilege to walk alongside him on his journey. Watching him grow and develop into the young man he is today has been incredibly special for our team.
Marty, we are so proud of you and all that you’ve achieved. We know you have a bright future ahead, and we can’t wait to see where your next chapter takes you.
Celebrating a Special Achievement
Bella Harvey from our ADDventurers Youth programme, received outstanding results for visual Art at Pukekohe Highschool this year. Above you will see an example of her stunning creativity! Well done Bella!
Equipping Our Students for the Future
An ADHD Workbook in the Making
Over the past few weeks, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside Brett Harrington, an ADHD specialist coach from ADHD Sorted.
Brett is currently developing a dedicated ADHD curriculum workbook, which we’ll be able to use across our Runway programmes once it’s complete.
As part of the research and development process, a group of five incredible young people have been meeting with Brett each week. These sessions have been a collaborative space where Brett can test and refine the curriculum, while our youth gain valuable insights, strategies, and support.
The feedback and engagement so far have been fantastic, and we’re really excited about the impact this curriculum will have once it’s finished and ready to be rolled out more widely.
Tips, tricks, and ideas to try.
ADDy's Corner is where we share helpful tips, tricks, and ideas that might make life a little easier. We don’t claim to have all the answers, but we believe that by sharing as a community, we can support each other through the challenging, yet rewarding, journey of parenting our children with ADHD.
Supporting ADHD Kids Through the Holiday Season
The holiday season can be full of excitement but for children with ADHD, it can also bring big feelings, big expectations, and big changes to routine. With a little preparation and a lot of compassion, families can help make the holidays feel calmer and more enjoyable for everyone.
Navigating boredom during the holidays
School holidays often mean long, unstructured days, which can be especially challenging for ADHD brains. Boredom isn’t just “nothing to do” — it can feel uncomfortable and overwhelming.
Light structure can help. Breaking the day into simple chunks (morning, afternoon, evening), planning one or two anchor activities, and having a small “menu” of go-to ideas can reduce frustration. Movement, creativity, and connection are powerful tools — and sometimes what looks like boredom is really a need for regulation or rest.
It’s also okay to normalise boredom. Helping children notice what their body or brain needs builds skills they’ll use well beyond the holidays.
Managing Christmas present expectations
Christmas can heighten anticipation and comparison, particularly for children who struggle with impulse control and delayed gratification.
Setting expectations early and revisiting them often can help. Clear, visual boundaries — like limiting wish lists or grouping gifts into simple categories — make abstract ideas more concrete. It’s also helpful to talk about what Christmas is about in your whānau, whether that’s time together, generosity, or shared experiences.
Big emotions around gifts don’t mean ingratitude — they mean feelings are still developing. Preparing children for possible disappointment and reassuring them that all feelings are okay can make a big difference on the day.
Preparing for family gatherings
Family events can be fun but overwhelming. New environments, noise, waiting, and social expectations can quickly drain energy.
Talking through what to expect ahead of time helps reduce anxiety. Let children know who will be there, how long you’ll stay, and where they can take breaks if things feel like too much. Packing familiar regulation tools — snacks, fidgets, headphones, books — can also help.
Most importantly, lower the bar. A successful gathering doesn’t mean perfect behaviour. It means doing the best you can with the nervous system you have on the day.
Thriving With ADHD
Thriving with ADHD was a real highlight this term.
We had a fantastic evening hosting this event, with three inspiring panellists generously sharing their experiences of ADHD.
From three different perspectives, we heard from Catherine, a business owner who was diagnosed with ADHD later in life; Tom, who has grown up with ADHD, is absolutely smashing it, and is a representative from Neurodiversity NZ; and Rochelle, a parent whose child was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age and has been part of the Runway ADDventurers programme.
The night was filled with valuable insights, plenty of laughs, and powerful reminders that ADHD can truly be a superpower. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening such a success.
The Runway Foundation 10th Anniversary
As our wonderful Chief Encouragement Officer, Terese, has already shared, we recently marked a very special milestone — 10 years of Runway.
Over the past decade, we’ve had the privilege of walking alongside so many families, and supporting children and young people with ADHD as they navigate their own unique journeys. Every story, every step forward, and every moment of connection has shaped who Runway is today.
We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved and deeply grateful for the trust placed in us. Reaching this milestone is both a celebration of how far we’ve come and a reminder of why we do what we do.
Here’s to the next chapter — and to many more years of learning, growth, and encouragement together.