A family violence education hui for men involved in the annual White Ribbon motorcycle ride will be held in Northland this weekend (August 19-21 2011).

Bream Bay Community Support Trust – a member agency of the National Network of Stopping Violence, Te Kupenga – is hosting ‘Te Oho Ake: The Awakening’ at the Marsden Bay Youth Camp in Ruakaka.

A powhiri for more than 50 participants takes place at 4.30 pm today (Friday August 19).

Bream Bay Community Support Trust provides a range of services including youth advocacy and parenting advice as well as whanau and violence support, and is the organiser of the Northland leg of the motorcycle event.

This year’s White Ribbon Day on November 25 will be marked by not one but three motorcycle rides organised by the Families Commission and led by the Super Maori Fullas and Patriot Defence Force Motorcycle Club.

Bream Bay Community Support Trust founder and trustee Phil Paikea says a number of the motorcyclists were keen to learn more about the kaupapa of family violence as a result of their participation in the White Ribbon ride.

“White Ribbon Day celebrates the many men willing to show leadership and commitment to promoting safe, healthy relationships within families and encourages men to challenge each other on attitudes and behaviour that are abusive,” Phil explains.

“We applaud the men who are participating in this weekend’s workshop – they are taking up the challenge to be positive male role models who hold on to those aspects of male masculinity that are beneficial to family and partners while explicitly rejecting the violence that is too often associated with men.”

Further information on the White Ribbon ride is available at www.whiteribbon.org.nz or go to www.nnsvs.org.nz for more information about the National Network of Stopping Violence, Te Kupenga.

Ends

For more information, contact Bream Bay Community Support Trust: Phil Paikea on mobile 021 121 0763 or email ppaikea@hotmail.com; or Sue Rudman on mobile 027 255 0725 or email admin@bbtrust.org.nz.