Speakers

Dave McKissock, will share his incredible experience walking almost 800km Camino de Santiago with his son Mark in 2025.

Dave will share the 33 day journey  starting on 5^th September 2025 to 7^th October, from Saint Jean Pied de Port, South Western France  to  Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, northwest Spain,

https://camino ways.com/camino-de-santiago

 

I completed my apprenticeship, with MITO, in Heavy Automotive Plant and Equipment 20 years ago. I then moved to Christchurch for a short time prior to doing my OE. Upon my return I returned to the automotive trade in the parts department and started managing the apprentices there. The opportunity to work with MITO came up and I have now been a local Training Advisor for 13+ years. I founded the Wāhine in Trades Southland group about 18x months ago.

MIke is married to Anya, and they have three adult childern, Louise, Mason and Katie.

Mike has been involved with Koru Care Southland for about 17  years, after Koru Care took his son Mason on a “Trip of a Lifetime” to the Gold Coast when he was about 12 years old. Since then Mike has taken Southland children on trips to both Australia and America every year apart from a four year break over COVID when the group didn’t travel overseas at all.

Mike is employed as Police Officer and has just ticked over 40yrs with the NZ Police.  He is the Area Commander of Southland and has been in this role for about 7 years, and has worked internationally both in Namibia and Rwanda for the NZ Police.

Mike is heavily involved in the community with Koru Care Southland, was a rugby referee for about 20 years and has been involved with the Southland Cancer Society since about 1991.

Born and bred Southlander and no intentions of leaving!!!!!!!!

 

Sally Dobbs has been a reservist Nursing Officer in the New Zealand Defence Force since 2010. She has been lucky enough to be part of a contingent that delivered primary care in Samoa and Tonga, and represented NZDF at the centenary commemoration of Chunuk Bair in 2015. Prior to coming to New Zealand, Sally spent 16 years as a Nursing Officer in the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps and served in Bosnia. She was awarded the Royal Red Cross (RRC) in the 1990 New Year Honours list for services to military nursing. Sally is passionate about nursing history and promoting the role that women play in global conflicts; her special interest is nurses in World War 1.