Introducing Lindsay Goodin, volunteer at Waipuna Hospice depot and one of the Top 10 Star Volunteers! Lindsay brings his 'A' game every week when he volunteers at the @Waipuna Hospice Fraser St depot, using his specialist skills to sort valuable jewellery and metals from the assortment of donations received. "Lindsay never just rocks up to do an assigned job. He uses his skills to help the efficiency of the depot. He has changed how jewellery is sorted - extracting maximum worth. Every week around $1000 of fine jewellery is separated from the fashion jewellery for individual pricing." "He works [...]

Congratulations Ann Treadgold, Te Puke Toy Library's long-serving coordinator, committee member and 'Elf in Chief' - and one of the Top 10 Star Volunteers! Here's why Ann's colleague Sarah nominated her: "Years and years of unfazed dedication to keeping the toy library going, keeping it off the brink of closing through sheer will power and volunteer hours. Creative thinking and long nights searching for new funding, new grants, new ideas. She will put her own needs second every time for the sake of our organization. Attends every single meeting and on top of it all helps her friends and [...]

Introducing Jean Walters, a volunteer with Age Concern Tauranga Inc and one of the Top 10 Star Volunteers! In 2009, Jean began volunteering with Age Concern Tauranga's visiting service. Motivated by her mother's experience with loneliness, she started visiting a new friend weekly, providing companionship for 15 years. Throughout this time, Jean and her friend shared many significant moments, including Jean becoming a grandmother, and her friend becoming a great-grandmother. Her friend, a dedicated Red Cross volunteer for 30 years, was touched by the hand-knitted blanket Jean gave her, having never received one despite knitting for charity herself. This [...]

Introducing Alf Terry, one of the Top 10 Star Volunteers! Alf Terry has been volunteering for Breast Cancer Support Service Tauranga Trust (BCSS) for over 14 years. He volunteers in the Chemotherapy Ward at the Tauranga Hospital providing morning and afternoon tea to patients having treatment plus their family, friends and whanau. This is a much appreciated service not only to patients but staff alike. "Alf’s quiet, compassionate, empathetic, kind hearted and caring way and his award winning cheese scones are keenly looked forward to by people visiting the ward. Alf has been asked for his “secret recipe” many [...]

Rubirose Russell of Maketū has already made a start on her chosen career at 14. She’s one of three Volunteering Services Bay of Plenty’s Volunteer Stars for her volunteer work making artistic resources for the early childhood centre at Maketū. It will come in handy when she qualifies as an ECE teacher in years to come. Her mum, Miria Pedersen, is an ECE teacher at Maketū Kidettes in the small community. She said Rubirose volunteers her artistic skills and time making resources for the tamariki. “She does everything from building kitset furniture, making poi, crocheting items that go along [...]

John Bothwell has a hand in most of the volunteering activities in Katikati. He’s just been named as a Volunteering Star by Volunteering Services Bay of Plenty, and received his award at a Katikati Community Breakfast this week. A former pharmacist, at 74 John hasn’t bothered to retire. “I’ve got the time and plenty of energy, and I just love interacting with the community.” He’s president of Katikati Rotary, and that has led to ramping up services, particularly for the elderly post Covid, when many were left isolated and short on food. He decided that food deliveries needed to [...]