International Volunteer Year - February Spotlight on DRIVING

February Volunteering Spotlight - DRIVING MID CANTERBURY

A quick look at the Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury website (vmsc.org.nz) shows seven different driving roles in Mid Canterbury. In addition to those listed there are driving opportunities with other community services such as St Vincent de Paul, the Cancer Society, and more.
Volunteer driving opportunities include mentoring people learning to drive, taking clients to medical appointments, driving groups of people on errands in Ashburton, helping people by driving them in their own vehicles and, our latest addition, driving senior citizens out and about in Ashburton.
Des, a volunteer driver for the Cancer Society has been in the role for about 7 years now and finds it humbling and rewarding. Des says he has learnt a lot from his passengers as they chat going to and from appointments. As with all driving roles, the clients’ confidentiality is respected and Des waits for his passengers to start conversations and he doesn’t ply them with questions.

Driving roles on the VMSC website are:
Courtesy Driver (Age Concern);
Client Transport (Hospice Mid Canterbury);
Health Shuttle (Hato Hone St John);
Bringing people to Ashburton on medical, shopping or pleasure visits (Mid Canterbury Connector);
Picking up children and dropping them off at school (Kāhui Ako); and
Driving Seniors to go shopping, or out for morning/afternoon tea (Ashburton Senior Citizens Trust – Thrive).

If you like driving, enjoy helping others, and can spare the time, why not consider volunteering for one of these roles?

Go to: https://vmsc.org.nz/roles?cat=10&location=3&hours=3

Des has been a youth leader at Hato Hone St John for over 35 years and is planning to retire this year on his 80th birthday. Volunteering is a large part of life for Des and his wife Avis They are known to quietly help others whenever they see a need.

In the photo above, Des is shown receiving an award for 35 years of service from Graeme Mangin, a Commander of the Order of St John.