03 May 2022
Meet Wayne – fierce contender on the petanque court, keen gardener and proud grandfather of eight and great grandfather of one. He also volunteers for Harbour Hospice.
Wayne, what does your role involve?
I’m a storeman at the Orewa Hospice Shop. I’m there every Friday to welcome and thank everyone when they drop off donations. I unload stock from people’s cars and take it through to the sorting room for the other volunteers to sort and price. There’s a bit of lifting involved but we have trolleys.
How long have you been doing it?
10 years
What do you love about it?
It has been a game changer for me. I’m unable to do paid work because I suffer from epilepsy (luckily my seizures only happen while I’m sleeping), but I want to feel useful and part of the community. This is what this role gives me. I love coming in, I love the people I work with and it’s so interesting seeing what comes in, in the cars, every day. No two days are ever the same and I’m always surprised and humbled by what people are happy to give us, to sell on to raise funds for the hospice service. I have seen some beautiful pieces of furniture. In fact, I bought my bed from here at the hospice shop!
What would you say to anyone thinking of volunteering for hospice?
I’d tell anyone to talk to our manager, come on in and give it a go. I literally walked in off the street and said ‘this looks like an interesting place to work, could I volunteer here?’ I had an interview with the Volunteer Services Team and then they said yes, and it’s been great. I even come in on my days off to give a hand, I’d be here every day if I could.
A little or a lot – your gift of time makes a difference
Volunteers are the heart and soul of Harbour Hospice – we can’t do our work without your help. Whether you want to give something back to the community by donating your talent, learning new skills, getting hands-on experience or just meeting new people, volunteering with us makes a world of difference to the people we help.
Giving as little as two hours a week will ensure that we can keep delivering high-quality care to patients and families in your community.
We provide full training and support to our volunteers and reward and recognise outstanding efforts.
We'd love to hear from you.
Call one of our friendly volunteer coordinators today:
Hibiscus Coast – Karen Little on 09 421 9180
North Shore – Julie Read on 09 485 3536
Warkworth/Wellsford – Mandy Campbell 021 527 912
