News

With a closing date of Friday 31 August 2018 we’re running two competitions to celebrate Braille Literacy Day on 7 September. For Primary and Intermediate aged students: Make up a name for the New Zealand Braille Literacy Kiwi Mascot and collage a picture of it (A4 size). Post the artwork to Gloria Edwards, BLENNZ, Private … Read more

Braille Music Transcriber, Moya Michalakis, writes: Every year Greerton Village (in Tauranga), holds a festival of “Yarn bombing”-wrapping tree trunks in knitted and crocheted blankets decorated as works of art. This year, each tree represents a song title, and supports a charity. There is a facebook page where you can Like the page, nominate a … Read more

If you have braille knowledge, why not tell us about it by sitting the Trans-Tasman Certificate of Proficiency in Unified English Braille. People who pass the certificate show us not only that they understand the braille code, but also that they believe in writing it accurately and care about the quality of braille that readers … Read more

Are you able to read uncontracted braille by touch or by sight? Are you interested in braille promotion, teaching, codes, and production? Are you able to attend usually four meetings per year with travel costs to Auckland met by BANZAT? Are you willing to commit some time outside meetings to further BANZAT’s work? Have you … Read more

The Braille Authority of New Zealand Aotearoa Trust (BANZAT) launched its policy for the Accreditation of Braille Producers Working in New Zealand in 2015. Policy 7 which explains the Accreditation framework and procedure is available at www.banzat.org.nz/publications/policies. Accredited producers agree to follow the standards set by BANZAT giving greater confidence to requesters, purchasers and readers … Read more

We are pleased to announce that we have launched our new website. It still has much the same content but some of it has been reorganised to be easier to find. We have tried hard to make this website work well for you whether you are blind, have low vision or are fully sighted, and … Read more

The Braille Authority of New Zealand Aotearoa Trust (BANZAT) launched its policy for the Accreditation of Braille Producers Working in New Zealand in 2015. Policy 7 which explains the Accreditation framework and procedure is available here. Accredited producers abide by the standards set by BANZAT giving greater confidence to requesters, purchasers and readers of braille. … Read more

On Tuesday 5 September, BANZAT will hold its seventh Annual General Meeting. We will bring our guests up to date with activities over the past year and answer any questions they may have.

We warmly commend the nine New Zealand candidates who sat and passed the 2016 Trans-Tasman Certificate of Proficiency in Unified English Braille. This taxing exam tests candidates’ attention to detail and meticulous accuracy. Well done to everyone.

The Braille Authority of New Zealand Aotearoa Trust (BANZAT) last year launched its policy for the Accreditation of braille producers working in New Zealand. Policy 7 which explains the Accreditation framework and procedure is available here. Accredited producers will abide by the standards set by BANZAT giving greater confidence to requesters, purchasers and readers of … Read more