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The Highfield Garden Reserve Donkey Park at Algies Bay is one of the most popular attractions in Rodney – and not just with visitors.
Every week a team of dedicated volunteers is onsite grooming the donkeys, mucking out sheds, pruning trees, planting, building new structures, and maintaining the grounds.
Many of them have been helping out at the park for years, which highlights how satisfying and meaningful the work is.
Now the Highfield Garden Reserve & Donkey Society committee is looking for new recruits to join the team on Tuesday mornings, from around 9am to 11am – in particular for the upkeep of the reserve.
They also need helpers for the donkey fun days, which happen twice a year, in early December and March.
Chair Jane Kelsey says presently they have about 14 volunteers but that number is dwindling as some of them are getting older and moving on.
“We could happily take another half dozen people for general maintenance of the gardens – pruning, moving mulch, keeping pathways clear – as well as helping out on projects.
Kelsey adds that volunteering at the park is ideal for people who may have just moved into the area and are looking to connect.
Harvey has been a volunteer gardener at the park for nearly a year having recently relocated from Wellington.
“It’s about giving back to the community. Since I’ve been here, we’ve probably planted a few hundred trees. It’s very satisfying. I also like meeting people, so it’s been good for that too,” he says.
“When you get half a dozen of us working together you can achieve quite a lot. I can see the difference we’ve made and then see visitors enjoying things in the park that we’ve worked on.”
Len has been a volunteer for four years and also helps look after the gardens.
“You meet a lot of lovely people here, and I’ve made some good friends,” he says
Presently he’s building a shelter over the picnic table with Mark, a local handyman who has worked both as a contractor and a volunteer at the reserve.
“When my grandkids come up from Auckland, they like to visit the park. Now with a shelter over the table, there’s somewhere they can hide from the sun or the rain,” Mark says.
If you’re interested in volunteering message volunteer coordinator Anne Hamilton here: https://www.facebook.com/donkeyshighfield
