Shannon (aka Shaz) was our awesome Volunteer Coordinator up until August 2022.

Shaz is big on people. A lover of anything and everything to do with diversity, inclusion, individual and community empowerment, and of course making sure all volunteers feel welcomed, happy, and supported. Shaz represents what volunteering at the Trust is all about.

As they say, “volunteering is one of the strongest demonstrations that sustainable change starts from within. When we embody the change that we want to see in the world, we are daring ourselves and those around us to imagine a new future and bring that into the now”.

Hayley joined us in 2021 as a Student Intern, as part of her epic SDG Masters course. She was studying to learn more about environmental sustainability and how we can mitigate and adapt to the ongoing pressures of climate change on our physical and social worlds.

Hayley got stuck in at the Trust, helping out and getting involved with a wide range of mahi. “It’s tricky to pick one (moment) as my favourite, but I really enjoyed the opportunity to sit in on the Waste Free Welly hui. It was so inspiring to hear how passionate people were about creating good futures.”

Read more about Hayley’s study and journey with the Trust.

Ngaio LOVES fabric. She found out about the Trust while shopping for William Morris fabric on TradeMe. Long story short, she picked up her purchase from us, took a bit of a tour and promptly put her hand up to volunteer at the Curtain Bank. This was eight years ago. Since then she's learnt how to use a commercial sewing machine (thanks Juliet!) and has woven herself into the fabric of the Curtain Bank community.

She really enjoys the natter, how helpful everyone is with everything, the bottomless biscuit tin, and of course, being surrounded by such a large variety of fabric. At the risk of sounding corny (her words) "the people are the best thing about volunteering at the Trust".

Emily is an ecology and environmental studies grad doing her Masters in Policy. She believes in “doing things that are good for society and separate from her normal life”, and wants to see how policy changes translate to what is happening on the ground. As a student, she’s interested in sustainability from an environmental perspective as well as a way to live within her means.

When she reached out to us in Feb 2021 she loved Amanda’s relaxed vibe and couldn’t wait to get involved. As she says, “it's a nice break from my everyday life. I like coming in to talk to people that are different because I get to learn about their lives. Plus it's fun. I feel like I'm doing something important and useful”.