18 June 2026
When Joan Buffery began volunteering for Harbour Hospice five years ago she knew it would be fulfilling. But she didn’t realise how fulfilling until she began her role. “You join knowing it’s a good thing to do,” she says. “But you really get quite a lot out of it. It’s more rewarding than you think.”
Joan, a former rates clerk who worked for Auckland Council, supports hospice every Wednesday, sorting clothing donations at its Whangaparāoa store. She looks forward to her shifts and enjoys being part of the team. She also knits chicks for the hospice shops in her spare time, which are sold at Easter to raise extra funds for patient and family services. She has knitted at least 500 chicks so far (each takes about 35 minutes to knit and sew together) and says she finds the knitting very relaxing.
Joan is one of 53 long-serving volunteers from the Hibiscus Coast who will be recognised at the charity’s Hibiscus Coast Long Service Awards on 25 June. And she’s one of 1200 volunteers across Hospice’s total catchment area, which takes in the North Shore, Hibiscus Coast and Warkworth/Wellsford, who we’re celebrating during National Volunteer Week, from 14-20 June.
Harbour Hospice Community and Volunteer Engagement Manager Vicki Parker says, “This time of year is always special because it gives us a chance to show our volunteers how much we appreciate them. Without them we wouldn’t be able to do what we do for our community, so we really are very grateful for the time and energy they give.”
Joan was inspired to volunteer for Hospice after witnessing its care of her twin sister, Sue. “Sue wanted to remain at home when she became ill so her two daughters looked after her. The hospice nurses would go round to help and they were brilliant. They explained things to them and told them what to expect. And they were always there, just a phone call away, and that’s what meant the most to us.”
A few years later Joan’s brother-in-law also received hospice care, and he chose to go into hospice’s Inpatient Unit. “His wife was able to stay with him every single night and we all thought that was amazing.”
Joan sums up, “It feels good to know that the little bit I do helps enable that good work to go on.”
To find out more about becoming a volunteer email volunteer@harbourhospice.org.nz
This story was first published in Hibiscus Matters.
