Volunteer drivers and companion shoppers wanted.
If you’re interested in paying forward, here's an opportunity that may interest you.
Manukau East Council of Social Services (MECOSS), is seeking volunteer drivers and companions for its Manukau East Shopping Shuttle.
Every Thursday, the shuttle takes people, who often live alone or no longer drive, to Botany Town Centre or Pakuranga Plaza for shopping and a cuppa.
Drivers are mainly responsible for arranging the times and routes for pick-ups and delivering their passengers safely.
Companion’s help clients get into and out of the vehicle and assist with seatbelts.
And if required, a walker or scooter can be booked for passengers to use at the shopping centres.
This daily-life activity has far reaching benefits for our passengers including;
1). Stimulating cognitive processes e.g. enabling passengers to ask questions when determining where items can be obtained, evaluate and compare before and after purchase, and determine value as compared to cost
2). Providing physical benefits e.g. walking around the shopping mall.
3). Function as a leisure pursuit that promotes social engagement e.g. chatting with other passengers and forming friendships.
Perhaps the most appealing aspect of shopping as a life-enriching activity is that it can be enjoyed by most people - even those who may have health problems.
When required and with a little help from our volunteers, people with mobility or transportation challenges can experience the cognitive, health, and social benefits a day on the town can provide.
For further information please call Maureen on 0800 632 677
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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52.8% Human-centred experience and communication
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14.8% Critical thinking
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29.7% Resilience and adaptability
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2.8% Other - I will share below!
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
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