Scarlett Letters

05/06/2026

Writing this article for The Fundraising Agency was a great experience, because it highlighted just how important values are to how we live life and do business, as an organisation and an individual. We don't always get it right (I know I don't), but when we are guided but what we inherently value, we stand a better chance of achievements we can be proud of.

Talking with Maureen McCloy (no relation!) about the end of YHA New Zealand, the thing that she emphasised was that the Board wanted to honour their organisational values through that process, as they had through YHA's operational life. That drew the right people to help them - other people who shared those values and wanted to honour their purpose too.

I think that every organisation I have worked in has written values, but often they are just words in a document or on a wall. They aren't lived, they don't permeate culture, and they aren't used to guide difficult situations. And I've worked in organisations that do live and breathe them; I 100% know which is better.

In creating this article I not only got to tell a story and talk with people who are genuinely passionate about their work, but I got a reminder that, no matter how unpleasant things are around you, if you live your values, you can't help but achieve success.

It’s the call no charity’s Board wants to make - to close your doors for good. But that was the call that YHA New Zealand had to make in late 2024.

But for the Board of YHA New Zealand, that worst-case scenario became a legacy of its own. They chose to go into voluntary liquidation with all debts paid, and some remaining funds in hand.

TFA was approached to help identify charities aligned to YHA’s purpose and values, to receive YHA’s remaining funds. “Sarah (TFA Founder) came up with the process of how this could go forward, one which we knew would best align with our values and purpose. That included how it could have meaning for YHA members,” says Maureen McCloy, who was YHA New Zealand Board Chair at the time.

A complex and detailed process resulted on six shortlisted prospects, and YHA members chose four final recipients: Living Springs; Untouched World Foundation; Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust; and Bushy Park Tarapuruhi.

This month marks one year since the final disbursement of those gifts. This is transformational giving at its best, and TFA is honoured to have been part of it.

Read more about how a commitment to values defined the end of the YHA New Zealand journey here: Link to article: https://thefundraisingagency.com/fundraising-case-studies/yha

31/05/2026

Here's a new review for you (so poetic - I must be chanelling the Bard!)

What do you get when you mash up Shakespeare, a prolific Swedish songwriter, the imagination of Schitts Creek writer David West Read and a multi-talented cast and crew?

You get & Juliet - a lot of fun brought to you by some incredible talent.

Now, if only I could stop singing Katy Perry's ROAR...

https://www.theatreview.org.nz/production/juliet/ -smooth-multi-sensory-production-delivered-with-exquisite-precision-and-exceptional-talent

24/04/2026

Last night I had the absolute pleasure - and I mean Real Pleasure - of attending Showbiz Christchurch's opening night of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
It was, quite literally, awesome, as in I was left in awe at what was on stage.
Read more about what I thought in my review for Theatreview: New Zealand Performing Arts Reviews. What a joy 😄

The Saunders & Co Season of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the golden ticket musical that’s delighted audiences across Broadway and the West End! Based on Roald Dahl’s beloved story, this spectacular stage adaptation features songs from the classic 1971 film, including ‘Pure Imagination....

03/03/2026

I haven't posted for a while - have I been lazy, or just busy? Let's go with the latter!
As proof, here is the latest advertorial I wrote for one of my favourite clients - OSACO. AI being used to deliver learning, skill enhancement, and justice. Local ingenuity that impact the world.

Investigative interviewing is more than asking questions — it requires planning, rapport and an understanding of what work best to unlock information. Incorporating the proven PEACE method and ORBIT…

23/10/2025

When you lose your pack, can you ever really feel safe again? Maybe it is best to be a lone wolf; or do you hope you'll find a new pack where you can belong?

These are just some of many questions I pondered after seeing the opening of 'Wolf Play' at The Court Theatre on Saturday night. In just 90 minutes there was a lot to feel (including, surprisingly, lots of laughter), and certainly a lot to think about.

As for answers, I am still working out mine (you can read my review here: https://scarlettletters.co.nz/views-reviews/), but I suggest that you go along yourself and see if you can find your own.

It is well worth it.

26/01/2025

Goodbye security, hello 100% self-employment.

A week ago, I gave up my supplementary fortnightly pay cheque as I said goodbye to my part-time job with the Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration. Now it’s all down to me and my business, Scarlett Letters, to support me, but I feel confident (and realistic), because I’ve been building to this point.

I had been the part-time Communications and Marketing / Project Advisor with CFVC for 18 months. It was a role that drew together my diverse communications / marketing / project work experience and my passion for change related to family violence, first kindled during 10 years at Aviva. It was also a literal and figurative support to me while I started Scarlett Letters and built my business up.

As I say goodbye to CFVC and hand the reins to someone else (yet to be discovered; talk to me if you’re interested), I know that I am leaving the Collaboration in a great space; its grown a lot in the last 18 months and is now set for even more impact and connection. I worked with some absolutely amazing individuals (some of whom are seen here lunching with me!) and can honestly say that Barnardos, which hosted my role, is one of the best work cultures and environments I’ve ever been in.

For me, it’s incredibly exciting to start 2025 being full-time in my own business, using words to help connect people and shine a light on other people’s passions. I have some wonderful regular clients on board who I love working with, and more to start with soon.

This is where I wanted to be when I started Scarlett Letters in March 2023 – I had a Field of Dreams vision – build it and they will come. That didn’t quite work as I’d expected! It took a bit little longer than I’d first hoped, but it has always gone in the right direction. I kept sowing seeds, adjusted expectations and even invested in my business with a coach.

What I’ve learned is patience and perseverance - keep doing right actions, and the right results will happen. They may not look the way you’d expected or fit the plan on your calendar, but they will. (Feel free to remind me of this if I hit speed bumps! :D)

13/01/2025

PSA – use protection.

When I was young(er), naïve(r - ?) and working for other people, I didn’t really bother with virus protection on my personal computer. Fortunately, before I started Scarlett Letters and my personal laptop became my work laptop, I decided to be smart(er), and I invested in some good malware protection. Boy, am I glad I did.

Yesterday I was in a zoom meeting (not a work related one, BTW), and it was hacked. The chat was taken over and graphic video content was streamed into our homes from who knows where, or what.

I panicked; maybe that was why I couldn’t log into my bank accounts... Calls to banks, frozen accounts, a visit to Harvey Norman for an overnight computer scan and many, many changed passwords later, I think all I have to deal with now is the trauma of what I forced to red and watch.

Fortunately, the overnight scan was not actually necessary as the technician checked my virus protection software and it showed that everything all was good.

So, if your home computer is also your work computer (or even if it isn’t), invest a few dollars in protecting your laptop and all the files – including those you are sending to or receiving from clients – in computer protection. You never know where a threat may come from, and it may not just be a suspicious ‘you’re a lucky winner’ button.

I don’t know if I would have been infiltrated by said hack, but knowing that my systems are the ones recommended as being among the most effective, and having them work, is a huge relief.

Stay safe out there, and in there, too. 😊

26/11/2024

Yesterday was White Ribbon Day, and although I’m posting about it today, that’s OK.

I’m still wearing my tee shirt (I did take it off overnight 😉), and White Ribbon Day marks the start of 16 Days of Activism to end Gender-based Violence, so I’m not really late 😊

White Ribbon Day is designed to draw attention to what we can all do to prevent (and heal) violence against women.

This is a very real, very prevalent and far too much ignored issue.

Here’s some context:
❎ every 10 minutes in the world, a woman is killed via family violence;
❎ female ge***al mutilation has increased 15% compared to eight years ago;
❎ one in three women in NZ have experienced family violence (physical, sexual, emotional, psychological or financial); and
❎ three-quarters of the people killed through family violence in NZ are women.

The majority of women experiencing family violence also have children who experience, or witness, that violence.

On White Ribbon Day, the Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration held a community breakfast in partnership with the Shirley Village Project, aiming to share knowledge, hope and stories of change.

Honestly, before we started, I was (way too) focussed on the people who weren’t even there – those who just didn’t turn up, costing us catering that as tiny not-for-profits we can’t afford.

But then our speakers started talking, and I remembered what is really important, and it’s not leftover bacon. It was what was in the room – the inspiration, honesty, vulnerability and tenacity.

Thank you to Angelo, a White Ribbon ambassador who gives his time and passion for change (as well as working full-time and being a busy dad to six) to spreading the message of change and how we can all make it happen.

Thank you to Matiu, who shared from his heart and soul about his own journey of being a violent man (who himself had experienced, and learned, violence as a child), into a man who is now safe, and supports others to heal through love and listening.

Thank you to Gwyneth, who shared about the loss of her daughter to a violent person, her battles with bureaucracy that doesn't understand the complexities of family violence, and the healing she now helps to provide to other whānau in her community.

And thanks to Twin Harmony, Gwyneth’s grandsons, and two very talented and inspirational young men who use music to spread their own message of ‘no more violence’.

We CAN all be part of changing the narrative and changing the outcome, even just by challenging language that perpetuates stereotypes and normalises violence.

We have 14 more days of activism left – what will you do to make a difference?
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/gender/events/16-days-of-activism-against-gender-based-violence-2024.html

23/11/2024

I do some work for the Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration, and this week I organised the last hui for the year - a little smaller than usual but still a great opportunity to connect with others working in the family and sexual violence sector.

Our guest speakers were Summa and Brett from Stopping Violence Services and Nick and Tonia from Aviva ReachOut, two of the services available in Ōtautahi to support people overcome their use of family violence.

SVS have been around since 1984, providing 15-week long groups programmes, as well as other options for individuals and couples. Whilst a lot of their work is ‘mandated’ (people must attend a group as part of a Court order), people also choose to seek support.

Aviva ReachOut has been around since 2012, and works with people who self-refer, generally one-on-one. In a past life I secured the funding to trial this service and wrote the brochure, which is largely still the same 😊I am so happy it is still there to help people make better lives.

Both services support anyone who needs support to overcome their use of violence, and they do so in the knowledge – not just belief, but knowledge – that people can and do change, if they want to, and are given help, knowledge and ongoing support.

Supporting people to undo years, even generations of harm, damage and trauma (to themselves, not just others) is extremely hard work, but these professionals have the knowledge, skills, empathy and understanding to do that. I admire them all greatly.

My takeaways from the day (apart from the fact that nothing beats face-to-face connection) were that timing is everything – people change on their timetable, not yours - and if we expect and want people to make better choices, first they actually have to have choices available.

If you or anyone in your life needs support to overcome anger issues or want to create healthier relationships, you can reach out to ReachOut, SVS, and He Waka Tapu as well. You won’t regret it.

11/11/2024

Yes, I am that lone nut, and proud of it.

You might be familiar with this video and TEDtalk (https://sive.rs/ff), about the crazy, lone dancer (the lone nut/leader) and the courageous follower. The follower is the person who turns the nut into someone worth following and together they help to create a movement.

I have been a courageous follower, but this weekend reminded me that I can be a leader too. Maybe not in any standout business way, but in a joyous, genuinely ‘don’t care what people think’ way.

I am literally that person who dances like no-one is watching (and sings like no-one is listening, and not sorry about it) – on their own at a concert. I eyed up the perfect spot at the top of the stairwell, not blocking anyone’s view or access, and made it my own. It took a while for my first follower to join, but join he did, and then many others followed.

When you don’t care about looking foolish, you can have an amazing experience. Next time, come and join me.

Be a leader, or a follower, but move 😉

(Don't worry, there are no images of my awesome moves - I was too focussed on the matter at hand 😁)