Pride of NZ: Op shop answers birds' call

Pride of New Zealand nominee Marion Waterland says she is overwhelmed to be nominated. Photo/Paul Taylor

Nominations for the inaugural Pride of New Zealand Awards, to celebrate New Zealanders who make the most positive, uplifting and inspiring contributions to their community, are still open. Hawke's Bay Today previews two more locals who have been nominated.

Wanting birds whistling in her garden has earned Marion Waterland a nomination in this year's Pride of New Zealand Awards.

The Napier woman is the driving force behind the Wild Wings Op Shop in the Greenmeadows Shopping Centre. Wild Wings is the only op shop nationwide which helps raise funds to help injured birds.

Mrs Waterland and her husband Tom moved to Napier to retire in 2012, but since then the pair have been busy helping raise awareness and funds.

The Pride of New Zealand Awards is a joint venture with The Hits radio station and TSB Bank; supported by the Herald and APN regional newspapers.

There are six categories honouring bravery and heroism, community spirit, lifetime achievement, emergency services, top fundraisers and those making a difference for the environment. Nominations are open until June 15.

The 68-year-old has been been nominated for the environment category and told Hawke's Bay Today she was humbled to be chosen.

"I'm overwhelmed to be nominated because there has been huge support since we opened the shop for the concerns of our New Zealand wildlife - for our birds which are fast depleting in numbers."

Mrs Waterland said funding generated from the shop went to Bird Rescue in Taupo, where rescue centres across New Zealand could apply for a share of the cash. To date Wild Wings had raised about $25,000.

"The volunteers love the comments we get every day about generating funds for our wild birds and Life Heritage."

She said she would love to help heal injured birds.

"But I have two cats and you can't do this work if you've got cats. So I thought I could do my part by trying to work out some way to generate funds."

The grandmother of five said she loved all birds but her favourite was the kereru.

"I gave a talk to a kohanga the other day and talked about the kereru. It's a majestic bird."

The depleting number of birds was a concern, she said.

"They are fast going from our gardens and forests and I thought, we need to bring back the bird songs to our garden and forests ... This is just a small contribution in the battle to fight to keep our birds."

While DoC tackle predator control there was no Government funding for bird rescue, she said.

"We get a lot of native birds [being brought] in to be treated. They are so important to our forests. They eat berries from the native trees and they fly off and their droppings land far and wide and sprout new growth."

Although Mrs Waterland was receiving the nomination she said it was through the hard work of all the volunteers the shop was successful.

"When we first started we had just 10 volunteers now we have 25. They are all fantastic."

For more information and to nominate, visit prideofnzawards.co.nz.