There are so many unsung volunteer heroes in the environmental sector powerfully living their values, giving their time, and getting their hands dirty. It’s time to sing our praises to the unsung this month.
June 16-22 is National Volunteer Week, which honours the collective energies and mana of all volunteers in Aotearoa.
Environment Network Manawatū (ENM) has hundreds of volunteers on its books and every week we get inquiries from people wanting to do their bit. It’s a testament to how much people care, want to do something, and are eager to get involved. Mentioning everyone would take an eight-page spread in the Manawatū Guardian, but today ENM wants to celebrate the contribution of the people involved in a few key initiatives and encourage others to be a part of the solution to local environmental challenges.
Hundreds of people, many of whom are associated with ENM’s Manawatū Food Action Network, contribute their time to community gardens, growing food and sharing it, community working bees, high-level conversations about food resilience and teaching people to grow. They are playing their part in making sure we are all fed and that people are empowered to learn how to feed themselves. It’s incredible work.
Events linked to the Palmy Plastic Pollution Challenge attracted many volunteers this year, often whole families who were dedicated to helping make our streams cleaner. It’s tactile, mucky, and rewarding work that gives people a real buzz.
