Celebrating Our Volunteers – NVW 2025

19 June 2025

This National Volunteer Week (16–22 June 2024), we were proud to celebrate the heart and hands of our community: our incredible volunteers. This year's theme was “Whiria te tangata - Weave the people together."


Throughout the week, each of our Hospice Shops hosted their own morning teas and acknowledgements for our retail volunteers, recognising the hard mahi and heart they bring to their communities. These small, personal celebrations were spread across the week - except Tuesday, when we gathered for at McDougall House, celebrating those who volunteer in our care home, hospice, and other services.

At this event, from the moment guests arrived, the room was filled with smiles, chatter, and connection. Over cups of tea and slices of beautifully decorated cake, volunteers who work across our care home, hospice, shops, gardens and more came together to be recognised for their time, dedication and compassion.


To show our appreciation, a raffle was held featuring generous prizes donated by our wonderful suppliers. While not everyone walked away with a raffle prize, no one left empty-handed; each volunteer was gifted a large block of Bennetto chocolate and a bottle of Maude wine (chosen purely for its name, with no affiliation to Nurse Maude, but still a lovely nod!).

One of the highlights of the morning was the presentation of long service awards, honouring those who have stood by our side year after year, providing care, kindness, and consistency in times of greatest need.


In total, 🎉264 volunteers  contributed 21,714 hours over the past year - across the care home, hospice, hospice shops, gardening, and more. Their time, compassion, and commitment form the invisible threads that help hold Nurse Maude together.


This year’s theme, “Whiria te tangata,” beautifully reflects the essence of volunteering - people coming together, weaving connections, and strengthening communities.


To all our volunteers: thank you for being part of the fabric of Nurse Maude.


Ngā mihi nui - we are so grateful.

Thank you to all our sponsors who donated to our Volunteer Celebration!

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