Update: Annual Convention 2022

After much discussion, the Board has made the decision to hold the 2022 National Convention as an online event.

The current Government restrictions around hosting events and the volatile COVID situation would exclude many of our Fellowship from attending a physical Convention in Rotorua. In order to provide as many members as possible the opportunity to attend, we feel holding the Convention as an online event is the best option.

The Board fully acknowledges this is probably not the outcome our Fellowship were hoping for, but perhaps is the one that was expected in light of where we are at with COVID.

The Host Planning Committee for Rotorua 2022 has done a fantastic job organising the programme for the weekend and are working hard to ensure the transition to an online Convention is a success.

We will have more information for you in the coming weeks including how to register. If you have already registered, the Host Planning Committee will be in touch soon to organise a full refund. You will then need to rebook online.

For now, please save the date:
Keep It Simple
Rotorua 2022
New Zealand 59th Annual Convention
21-23 January 2022

Thank you for your understanding.

General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous

Meetings finder app guide

During 2019, AA NZ still had an android app which they supported and it was provided via Google Play services. Unfortunately, this app was linked to a failing database behind the old website and as we got closer to replacing the website it became clear that we could no longer support the app or the data that fed it. Instead of developing a new app for both android and apple users (previously it was only android), we learned that with the new WordPress website, we now had a better solution.  This meant that AA could integrate a website and app in one place and avoid having to develop a website and two additional apps. There are two ways you can make use of the meetings finder app embedded in the website.

1. Go to the www.aa.org.nz/meetings and filter for your area etc. From here on your browser, select “Add to home screen” and create a shortcut to the meetings page and that shortcut will act exactly like an app.
2. Download the USA World Services AA app Meeting Guide and set the location to NZ (or to any another country, if you are visiting) from either Google Play or iTunes

Detailed video guide here 

Coronavirus

The Ministry of Health has advice and precautions for the general public to take which we’ve included here.

Literature Price Rise/ Reminder Service Positions / A.A help email

Literature Price Rise

Some will have noted after the office reopened there was a literature price increase. The Board runs literature pricing in accordance with a set policy including pricing according to landed cost and the biggest factor is the currency exchange rate between $NZ and $US.

Just prior to lock down a new shipment arrived with a currency rate below the 5% tolerance we factor in before repricing (as per Literature Policy). We waited until after the Covid-19 lock down of the office to change prices resulting in some feedback. The policies for pricing are not the variable here, cost ex USA is and this is something the Board cannot control. AAWS had a price increase last year that was not passed on to the fellowship.

We are bringing this to your attention so there is better understanding of price rises. The result is stock newly arrived increased in price while stock which did not have new orders placed has remained at old pricing. Obviously fast moving popular stock items are affected the most in this scenario.

The Board recently reviewed all pricing to ensure the literature pricing policy is working. As a result we did find an opportunity to change the pricing on four of the more popular pamphlets. A single pamphlet is $1 but for those pamphlets regularly held in stock by groups for newcomers we are offering packs of 10 for $5 and this change is on the website.

The A.A help email

A reminder that the help@aa.org.nz is for the still suffering alcoholic to make contact with us. This email account is manned by a member of the fellowship and we would like to ensure the focus remains on outreach.

If you have any queries about the website please email website@aa.org.nz Any other queries should go to GSO on nzgso@aa.org.nz

Freight charges for Literature

Following GSO’s recent review of freight charges, which have steadily increased in recent years, we realise that we are not covering our costs when sending out small packages.
At its meeting in April, Conference agreed the following:
For orders under $150, a charge of $10 will be added toward shipping costs.
For orders over $150, shipping will remain free of charge.

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