Pride of NZ Awards: Op shop gives birds wings

Marion Waterland. Photo / Paul Taylor

Environment category: A desire to hear birds chirping in her garden has helped earn Marion Waterland a nomination in this year's Pride of New Zealand Awards.

She is the driving force behind the Wild Wings Op Shop in the Greenmeadows Shopping Centre, Napier. Wild Wings is the only op shop which raises funds to help injured birds.

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

The 68-year-old said it was humbling to be considered for an award.

"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."

She said the money generated from the shop went to Bird Rescue in Taupo, where rescue centres across the country could apply for a share of the cash. Wild Wings has raised about $25,000.

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

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".

While DoC tackles predator control, there was no government funding for bird rescue, she said.

"We get a lot of native birds in to be treated. They are so important to [the regeneration of] our forests."