When Robyn hits the streets of Wellington to collect donations for the Mary Potter Hospice Street Appeal, she knows her husband would be proud.
Robyn’s husband was in the care of Mary Potter Hospice in Newtown 12 years ago. “We were so impressed with the care my husband received, and it was him who suggested it would be a good idea for me to volunteer, to do something to give back to the Hospice.”
Robyn’s favourite thing about being a collector for the Street Appeal is that so many people want to stop and talk about their experiences with the Mary Potter Hospice. “Sometimes people are in a rush, but other times they’re really keen to talk. Often, when people come to give money, they’ll share a bit about their personal story. They might say that they had an aunt or a brother who was cared for by the Hospice, and how happy they were with the care.”
Robyn has also had interesting conversations about other topics with passers-by. “When the End of Life Choice Act took effect in 2019, people were keen to come up and talk to me about that, and about what the Hospice’s perspective was.”
Robyn has now been volunteering for the Hospice for 10 years. “I originally started helping with the flower arrangements and serving lunches. I’m not a professional flower arranger but I do love gardening. I’ve also helped with the Time of Remembrance services at the Hospice. There are so many different ways to get involved.”
Robyn’s advice to anyone thinking about becoming a Mary Potter Hospice Street Appeal collector would be to go for it – so long as you don’t mind standing for prolonged periods and can handle the weather. “I remember a day collecting outside Briscoes when the weather was horrendous! However, the people at the coffee shop around the corner saw me and offered me a free coffee, which was really kind. Lately, I’ve chosen to collect money at the airport, which tends to be pretty busy. While the experience can be variable, and it does depend how many people you have passing, I’m very happy to collect money for the Hospice.”