Matt Frost

Ko Tapuae-o-Uenuku te maunga.
Ko Waiharakehe te moana.
Ko Aotearoa te whenua.
Ko Wellington tōku kāinga.
Ko Matt Frost ahau.

Kia ora, everyone. I’m Matt Frost, and I feel both delighted and privileged to be a member of Hei Whakapiki Mauri Trust. I’m 46, proudly autistic, and have spent the past 20 years working to uphold the rights of disabled people and their whānau.

My connection to the Trust comes through the disability community, where I first met Matua Gary and Whaea Ruth. Whaea Ruth was Tumu Whakarae at CCS Disability Action, and through both of them, I learned a great deal about Te Ao Māori. I consider myself an ally to this kaupapa and feel strongly aligned with the values that guide it.

What drew me to Hei Whakapiki Mauri is its practical mahi with whānau – the kind of grounded, real-world support that reminds us why we do this work in the first place. Sometimes in the disability rights movement, we can drift into mahi that feels far from people’s everyday lives.

This Trust stays close to whānau, and that matters to me. I hope to contribute my interest and skill in policy making, helping ensure our policies are practical guides that support those doing the mahi. I also want to help in hands‑on ways where I can, even though living in Whanganui‑a‑Tara might make that a little tricky at times. I became a Trustee simply because I love the kaupapa and values of the Trust.

A few fun things about me: my favourite kai is a classic roast beef meal. My favourite places in Aotearoa are my family whare in Blenheim and my own whare in Wellington – the places where I feel most myself. Something unique about me is that I’m one of New Zealand’s top cricket scorers, keeping detailed records of every moment in a match, including at an international level. Some games run for five full days, which I think is pretty cool.

Lastly, a quote I carry with me is from Socrates: “I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think.” I like to believe that’s what I do – help people think and find their own answers.

Lyn Cotton

Lyn is Tangata Tiriti with whakapapa reaching back to England, Scotland, Ireland, with a touch of Eastern Europe. She brings a steady, thoughtful presence to the Hei Whakapiki Mauri whānau.

Her connection to the Trust comes through her long friendship with our Kaiwhakahaere, Ruth Jones. Over the years, she has watched Ruth’s mahi with deep respect, especially the way Hei Whakapiki Mauri stays close to the community and embraces whānau in ways that feel genuine and full of aroha. Becoming a Trustee felt like a natural way to stand alongside Ruth and contribute to kaupapa that matter.

Lyn hopes to offer support, connection to the disability community, and advice shaped by her experience with grassroots organisations. She is the founder of Jolt Dance, an inter-able dance company that celebrates diversity and creative expression; mahi that aligns closely with the values of Hei Whakapiki Mauri. Her motivation is simple: to help strengthen something that already carries so much mana.

Outside of her governance role, Lyn enjoys the simple things in life. Mussels are her favourite kai, and Heathcote Valley, where she lives, is her favourite place in Aotearoa. She was born in Rarotonga, and a whakataukī she carries with her is: “He hono tangata e kore e motu; ka pa he taura waka e motu – Unlike a canoe rope, a human bond cannot be severed.”