Times they are a changing

By the time you read this we will have been in lockdown level 4 for one week. There are so many to thank for being available to support us.

There are many employed that are there because they work in the Essential Services and we thank them for continuing to support us all.

There are also those volunteers who are continuing to support our Essential Community Services – yes they are the people who deliver meals on wheels and some who have been making meals and delivering to those less fortunate in our society.

There are also volunteers helping out the Civil Defence Emergency Management team, also Age Concern, Grey Power, Salvation Army, Foodbanks and of course St John and Red Cross, Kai Kitchen, Kai and Aroha and Kai Cupboard to name a few.

As I write this we are not sure how all of this will look and how many volunteers will be needed to support this lockdown. However if you are reading this and think I am interested in helping in some way – it could be by phone or delivering meals on wheels, or it could be virtual like contacting people via Skype or Facetime.

Have you thought about setting up a phone or text tree and contacting your neighbours / elderly friends or relations to check that they are ok?

If you have been police vetted for your current job it would be really helpful if you could make contact with us as there are many roles that you could help with. If you have not been police vetted, don’t let that put you off putting your hand up, there will be roles for you as well.

So what next?

Marie at Volunteering New Plymouth will be working from home so please in the first instance email: admin@volunteeringnewplymouth.nz, if you do not have access to an email account then please text 027 541 0577 and she will contact you as soon as she is available. There will be more known about what is needed by the time you read this and she will be able to give you more information on what roles have become available.

Please everyone stay safe in these next few weeks and please be kind to yourself and others.