Marlborough Magazine Marlborough September 2016 Issue | Page 16

16 COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER Your Kindness Our Marlborough community can be a fantastic place to live. There are great people, the weather is wonderful and opportunities abound. For some of us, though, things could be better. Some are lonely, others are new to the community and struggling to find their place in it. There are those who need a helping hand with a problem or to complete a project. All of us can help. We can say a cheery hello to an elderly neighbour or maybe do a bit of gardening for them. We can welcome a new workmate or lend a hand at the local sports club. Every day will bring ways to brighten up someone’s life with a little act of kindness. Many of us would be happy to do a little more than this for our community, but are just not sure where to start. At Volunteer Marlborough there are a huge range of opportunities available, ranging from lending a hand at a one-off community event to taking a key role in a local organisation. You can ring up, come in and have a chat at Marlborough House one morning or go online to have a look at the wide range of roles available. These include anything from administrative support, environmental conservation, befriending and mentoring, event assistance, animal welfare and governance roles. Whether you have one free hour a day, a week or a month, there’s sure to be a voluntary position for you if you want it. As well as helping others, volunteering can help yourself as well. It is a great way to build work experience for your CV and can help boost your confidence if you have been out of the workforce for a while. It can help you meet people if you are new to the community or if you have retired and are missing the camaraderie of your former workplace. It is a good way to stave off boredom or loneliness and to find new interests. Volunteer Marlborough | 21 Henry Street, Blenheim 7201 Ph 03 577 9388 | [email protected] www.facebook.com/VolunteerMarlborough | www.volunteermarlborough.org.nz Putting You & Marlborough First