Appeal for more Radio Lollipop volunteers in Whangārei

Radio Lollipop volunteers Maddy Barben, from left, Norman Krystle, Pam Mackie, Anitha Suresh Kumar and Romy Grajeda at a community event in Kamo. Photo / Imran Ali

Love spending time with children? Become a volunteer for Radio Lollipop and help entertain sick children at Whangārei Hospital.

The global charitable organisation is looking for more volunteers in Whangārei to add to the seven it currently has who visit the hospital three times a week.

Radio Lollipop volunteers provide care, comfort, play and entertainment for sick children at six New Zealand hospitals.

The charity takes its name from the radio stations it runs in hospitals throughout the world. They play children's programmes — partly presented by children.

The Whangārei-based volunteers organised "Good in the Hood"— an event at Z Energy in Kamo yesterday to raise awareness about the work they do by having conversations, and dishing out pamphlets, lollipops and stickers to motorists.

Pam Mackie joined Radio Lollipop in March after volunteering for Age Concern and said she loved giving back to the community through volunteer work.

"We desperately need more volunteers than the seven that we currently have. I personally would like to have an information evening to try and get more people on board," she said.

By having more volunteers, she said Radio Lollipop would be able to visit children at Whangārei Hospital more often than the present three days a week.

The volunteers take with them gift bags that contain stationery items like colour pencils and books.

If Radio Lollipop had 21 volunteers, they could have three volunteers at the hospital each night seven days a week, she said.

Peruvian immigrant Romy Grajeda also volunteers alongside Mackie said enjoying time with children was really rewarding.

Radio Lollipop volunteer Romy Grajeda hands out lollipops and stickers to Jake Pairama, left, and Alexander Johnstone-Soutar-Whatarau. Photo / Imran Ali

"I came to Whangārei in 2016 and it was difficult for me to adapt initially. I Googled Volunteering Northland then went to a couple of events before the opportunity to join Radio Lollipop came," she said.

Yesterday's event was the first the organisation organised in Whangārei to attract more volunteers.

• If you are interested in joining, email whangarei@radiolollipop.org