Volunteers recognised for their work

Philippa de Vere and Carol Thompson are among the thousands of Western Bay residents who give up their time to volunteer. Photo/Andrew Warner

Tauranga neighbours Carol Thompson and Philippa de Vere both signed up to volunteer at the Tauranga Community Foodbank late last year but did not realise the other worked there until they were rostered on for the same shift months later.

National Volunteers Week kicked off yesterday and recognises the work done by the thousands of volunteers such as Mrs Thompson and Mrs de Vere who give up their time to help out each week.

Helping out at the Foodbank had always been something Mrs de Vere wanted to do but it was not until she was dropping off a load of Girl Guide biscuits that she decided to get involved.

"It's interesting. It's busy. If you're giving up your time you want to keep busy. There's always something to do," she said. "There's some really needy people out there."

Mrs de Vere also helps out at Girl Guides and Meals on Wheels and encouraged anyone with spare time to sign up to volunteer. "It just gets you out meeting people and into the community. There's always something to be done out there. There's all sorts of organisations."

Len Clough, 79, had been a volunteer at the foodbank since its doors first opened about 24 years ago.

"You get into a groove and you just can't get out of the groove," he said. "I quite enjoy it."

He said it was a pity the city needed a foodbank but encouraged people to volunteer their time.

"It's a necessary evil that we have nowadays."

Foodbank chairman Alan Plunkett said he was always staggered by how many volunteers there were in Tauranga.

"We couldn't run without them. The logistics of the balance sheet we work with mean we couldn't do it with full-time salaried people. It's just impossible," he said. "The importance of them from another point of view is the interaction with the people who come to the counter."

Volunteer Western Bay of Plenty has helped match organisations with interested volunteers since 2005 and has about 120 voluntary positions available at any one time.

Last year their numbers grew to more than 1100 active volunteers.