Napier Boys' High School's Anzac Day commemoration next week will welcome back a former student who was recognised in the New Year Honours for his dedication to disability services after being invalided out of the Army following a helicopter accident.
Phillip Blundell, now 63 and living in Upper Hutt, was a head prefect, rugby First XV captain and senior cross-country champion during his seven years at the school (1965-71), and returns as guest speaker for the service.
In 1983, Mr Blundell had started a young family and was working for the New Zealand Army in Waiouru when the Sioux helicopter he was training in crashed, leaving him a paraplegic.
Mr Blundell became involved with the Disabled Persons Assembly (DPA) in 1985, and joined the national board as vice-chairman from 1986 to 1988. He was DPA representative during the commercialisation of the NZ Disability Resource Centre, and was representative to the NZ Transport Complaints Board for two years during the establishment of the Mobility Parking and Total Mobility taxi scheme.
He joined the Wellington and Hutt Valley branch of the NZ Crippled Children's Society in 1988, becoming national vice-president from 1994 to 1996.
