June is Volunteering New Zealand’s Big Shout Out to volunteers nationwide and South Wairarapa District Council (SWDC) is celebrating our community’s unsung heroes, hidden gems and volunteers who go beyond the call of duty to help others.  

“Our district is too big and our ratepayer base is too small for us to get everything done, unless we have volunteers in our community. These people bring great value to us so we will give them a little something back with a morning tea on Tuesday 25 June,” says Mayor Martin Connelly.  

This is the first year that SWDC has formally marked the crucial role that volunteers play in the community – and it won’t be the last.  

“We acknowledge there are many more volunteers in our community than the number we can celebrate officially this year. We plan to build on this year’s humble morning tea event by continuing to show our gratitude to more volunteers in future years,” says Mayor Connelly.  

The Big Shout Out is a New Zealand spin on the Big Help Out, part of King Charles’ coronation in the United Kingdom, during which he invited people to volunteer due to a decline in volunteers since covid. New Zealand has not experienced the same decline because we have over a million volunteers in this country. 

“We plan to celebrate that,” says Mayor Connelly. 

“We encourage everyone in the South Wairarapa community to take advantage of June’s Big Shout Out and thank the treasured volunteers they know for the work they quietly do in our foodbanks, conservation, the arts and culture, social services, animal protection and all aspects of our lives.”