Alexia Pickering

Alexia Helen Jean Rae Pickering CNZM QSO JP (née Pilcher, 20 May 1930 – 27 April 2017) was a leading New Zealand disabilities rights campaigner.

Alexia Pickering

CNZM QSO JP
Born
Alexia Helen Jean Rae Pilcher

(1930-05-20)20 May 1930
Petone, New Zealand
Died27 April 2017(2017-04-27) (aged 86)
Wellington, New Zealand
OccupationActivist
Known forAdvocacy for people with disabilities
Spouse(s)Neville Pickering (died 1988)
George Matthewson
​
(m. 1999)​
Children4

She was born with spina bifida in Petone in 1930. Aged 10 months, she was operated on by orthopaedic surgeon Alexander Gillies, and they became life-long friends. Her early education was at home or via correspondence.[1] She was head girl at Patea School and won a scholarship to St Mary's School in Stratford, but they would not take her because of her disability.[2] She attended Hawera High School instead.[1]

In the 1950s she married Neville Pickering, who went on serve as a Member of Parliament (1957–1960) and mayor of Christchurch (1971–74). The couple adopted three children before having one of their own, having believed that Alexia was unable to bear children.[1]

During her husband's political career, Pickering began to speak out about issues of access for people with disabilities, drawing on her personal experiences. Following her husband's death in 1988, Pickering became director of the Disability Resource Centre, and her guidebook, Accessible New Zealand: a complete visitor guide for the traveller with restricted mobility, was published in 2000.[1] She was appointed as a justice of the peace in 1990.[3]

Pickering served as a member of the national executive of the New Zealand Paraplegic and Physically Disabled Federation, a member of both the Rehabilitation International's Social Commission and ICTA Commission, and president of the New Zealand Federation of Disability Information Centres. She was appointed to the New Zealand Council for Recreation and Sport, and the New Zealand Building Industry Authority, and chaired the access advisory panel for the Department of Building and Housing.[4]

She was involved in the establishment of the Barrier Free New Zealand Trust, the Laura Fergusson Trust, and the Hamilton Volunteer Centre Trust.[4]

Pickering was a recipient of the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.[3] In the 1996 New Year Honours, she was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for community service.[5]

She was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to people with disabilities in the 2005 New Year Honours.[6]

Later years and death

Pickering remarried George Matthewson, a parliamentary messenger, in 1999.[3][4] Their marriage was later dissolved.[2] She died on 27 April 2017, aged 86, and was buried with her first husband at Memorial Park Cemetery in Christchurch.[7]

References
  1. Manson, Bess (21 March 2015). "Alexa Pickering – a formidable advocate for New Zealanders with disabilities". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  2. Manson, Bess (13 May 2017). "No limits to disability activist's life". The Press. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  3. "About Accessible New Zealand". accessibleoptionsnz.com. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  4. "A life most ordinary". Rise. Ministry of Social Development (3): 6–8. July 2008. ISSN 1178-4717. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  5. "No. 54256". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 30 December 1995. p. 34.
  6. "New Year honours list 2005". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2004. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  7. "Alexia Pickering death notice". The Press. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
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