This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 29 October 1960 "Residents and farmers of the Bunnythorpe district have banded together and constructed this bus shelter. It is a concrete block and iron-roofed structure covering an area of 380 square feet, and will be in use in approximately two weeks. It includes a waiting room and bicycle shed, which is intended for the use of secondary school children. The whole structure has been built by voluntary labour assisted by the Oroua and Kairanga County Councils. It has been financed by donations together with the proceeds of a highly successful shop day. From the original public meeting from which the bus shelter committee was formed, the Bunnythorpe Progressive Association has been inaugurated. Further projects for the benefit of the district are planned for the future. "

This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 8 December, 1959. “The Winchester School which is in use but has not yet been officially opened, now has a swimming pool. The pool, which is 40ft long by 20ft wide and 3ft deep, was constructed on nine Saturdays by a working bee of local residents, the funds having been raised by the school committee, the Parent-Teachers Association, the Mothers’ Club and the children themselves. The photograph shows pupils receiving swimming instruction from a teacher during a class this morning.”

 Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio 8th March 2022, Part 1 of 3.  Voluntary work, started with Jim’s father, natural to do things for others. Scouts, paper drives, other fundraising. Grew up in Seddonville, moved to Nelson, then Levin in 1978. Paper drives without cellphones. World Vision stands at trade shows, getting people to sponsor children. Actually supporting community projects. Valuing volunteers. Small proportion or revenue going to overheads. Daughter went to Brazil on AFS, ended up teaching English at a university there aged 16. Poverty there. Hosting a Brazilian Rotary exchange student. World Vision monthly sponsorship. 

The community and voluntary sector contributes significantly to the social, spiritual, economic, physical, and cultural health and well-being of all New Zealanders. Often working with the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in society, the work of community and voluntary organisations is not always visible. However the services produced by such organisations support the people of our City.
This video profiles one of five community organisations operating in Palmerston North. They were created by the Palmerston North City Council to help raise the profile of the community services sector and promote its significance to the wider community.

The community and voluntary sector contributes significantly to the social, spiritual, economic, physical, and cultural health and well-being of all New Zealanders. Often working with the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in society, the work of community and voluntary organisations is not always visible. However the services produced by such organisations support the people of our City.
This video profiles one of five community organisations operating in Palmerston North. They were created by the Palmerston North City Council to help raise the profile of the Community Sector and promote its significance to the wider community.

The community and voluntary sector contributes significantly to the social, spiritual, economic, physical, and cultural health and well-being of all New Zealanders. Often working with the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in society, the work of community and voluntary organisations is not always visible. However the services produced by such organisations support the people of our City. This video profiles one of five community organisations operating in Palmerston North. They were created by the Palmerston North City Council to help raise the profile of the community services sector and promote its significance to the wider community.

The community and voluntary sector contributes significantly to the social, spiritual, economic, physical, and cultural health and well-being of all New Zealanders. Often working with the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in society, the work of community and voluntary organisations is not always visible. However the services produced by such organisations support the people of our City. This video profiles one of five community organisations operating in Palmerston North. They were created by the Palmerston North City Council to help raise the profile of the community services sector and promote its significance to the wider community.

The community and voluntary sector contributes significantly to the social, spiritual, economic, physical, and cultural health and well-being of all New Zealanders. Often working with the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in society, the work of community and voluntary organisations is not always visible. However the services produced by such organisations support the people of our City. This video profiles one of five community organisations operating in Palmerston North. They were created by the Palmerston North City Council to help raise the profile of the community services sector and promote its significance to the wider community.

The community and voluntary sector contributes significantly to the social, spiritual, economic, physical, and cultural health and well-being of all New Zealanders. Often working with the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in society, the work of community and voluntary organisations is not always visible. However the services produced by such organisations support the people of our City. This video profiles one of five community organisations operating in Palmerston North. They were created by the Palmerston North City Council to help raise the profile of the community services sector and promote its significance to the wider community.

Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 13th June 2023. Lin Pratt part 2 of 2.   Wireman’s course. Horse for trotting. Cars overheating.  Why choose trotting? Lin’s horses. Rationed petrol. Competitive trotting. Pacing vs trotting. Not so popular now. Involvement in athletics. Squash. Ashhurst community, squash courts first opened on Lin’s 50th birthday. The voluntary sector. Scouts. 

Broadcast on Manawatu People’s Radio, 10th October 2023. Part 3 of 3. Early days of personal computers. IBM PCs, dot matrix printers. Learning programming with punch cards, no graphics. Working for Advantage Computers. NZ Disabilities Resource Centre. NZ Fire Service VHF radio servicing. Househusband in late 1990s. Remarried. In Seniornet for 25 years now. Seniornet peaked at 600 members. Since declined and activities have changed. Voice recognition. Computer/phone familiarity. Decline of the voluntary sector. Few people to take a lead. Women in Seniornet. Digital legacy.

Letter dated 17 August 1946 suggesting that the WWSA set up a stall in The Square for the voluntary surrender of coupons to assist the Famine Emergency Campaign.

This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 16 June 1961 "The Manawatu Bowling Club's amenities will be greatly improved in the near future with voluntary workers making concrete paths, low walls and installing drain pipes. The club is spending £200 on the materials for the improvements and the work is all being done by voluntary labour. Mr. L. Wilson (the club president) and Mr. C.C. Yates the club captain of the Bowling section are seen marking out levels before concrete is poured."

The Friends of the Regent is a voluntary group established in 1995 during the fight to save the Regent Theatre. Its primary activities are to support the theatre through the provision of Front of House services and fundraising.

Arrangement made with the Church of England [Military] Affairs Committee in respect of the voluntary work performed
by women in the Church Army huts in the various military camps. Dated 2 March 1942.

A group of Manawatu Mounted Rifles in uniform and on horseback. The Manawatu Mounted Rifles, set up in 1891, were one of many voluntary military corps who supported the small Regular Force of soldiers in New Zealand.

Mary Dunbar Davies (nee Bassett) (b. 1935) was a long time member of New Zealand Federation of University Women, joining in 1972. She was a secondary school teacher and had a wide involvement with various voluntary groups.

Letter from K A Henderson, Deputy Chairman of the 2nd Liberty Loan Committee, regarding the setting up of a local women's recruiting committee, to assist the voluntary recruitment of women for service in the Army, Navy , Airforce and Land Corps during WWII.

Mayor Grant Smith pictured with 2019 civic award recipients: (left to right) Grant Smith, Graham Slater, Professor Angie Farrow, Scott Bruce, Valerie Dittmer and Rodney Wong.

The annual Civic Awards are the city's highest recognition for voluntary service, honouring those who give up their time to ensure community groups and organisations tick.

Graham Slater had a 38 year involvement with Centrepoint Theatre on the Board. He is also strongly involved with Menzshed Manawatū and organises two U3A groups.

Professor Angie Farrow is a highly respected teacher, theatre director and producer, playwright and author, who has made a huge contribution to Palmerston North’s profile and reputation as a centre for performance arts.

Valerie Dittmer is a committed member of Palmerston North's not-for-profit sector, including initiating the very successful annual event, "Yesterday's Treasures" which raises crucial funds in support of Methodist Social Services programmes.

Passionate Rotarians, Scott Bruce and Rodney Wong, were instrumental in bringing the Central Energy Trust Wildbase Recovery to reality.

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This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 10 December 1960 "A busy band of voluntary helpers today erected the framework of the hut to house the Nativity scene, organized by the Palmerston North Civic Christian Festival Committee, as part of the Christian Christmas celebrations."

The 'Southern Cross', a Fokker F. VII Trimotor aircraft, was delayed in Palmerston North for several weeks after its wing was damaged during taxiing at the Milson Aerodrome 4 February 1933. It was repaired by voluntary labour at the A & P Association showgrounds. Here the wing is about to be transported back to the aeordrome.

This photograph of an Anglican girls' Bible class union group has no accompanying information, although is photographed by a Palmerston North photographer. Research reveals the New Zealand Anglican girls' Bible Class Union was formed in Christchurch in 1923. It is a voluntary association of Bible Classes and similar groups, which has contact with other denominational groups.

The Green Corridors programme enhances areas of native bush along streams, provides a place for wildlife to thrive, improves water quality, and creates open green spaces from the Tararua Ranges to the Manawatū River. The programme is run by a voluntary group that works with Council to plan and oversee the planting.

The Green Corridors in Summerhill began planting in 2009.

The Green Corridors programme enhances areas of native bush along streams, provides a place for wildlife to thrive, improves water quality, and creates open green spaces from the Tararua Ranges to the Manawatū River. The programme is run by a voluntary group that works with Council to plan and oversee the planting.

The Summerhill Green Corridors began planting in 2009.

This voluntary group (later paid) was set up during WWII. The women had to pass First Aid and mechanics' exams, as well as hold a heavy traffic license to enable them to drive ambulances for the Palmerston North Hospital. They also worked for the Palmerston North Army area, meeting sick and wounded off trains and driving them for treatment.

This voluntary group (later paid) was set up during World War Two. The women had to pass First Aid and mechanics' exams and hold a heavy traffic license to enable them to drive ambulances for the Palmerston North Hospital. They also worked for the Palmerston North Army area, meeting sick and wounded off trains and driving them for treatment.

The original Davey residence was constructed by Sam Davey, a farmer of Kairanga, about 1887 and the right hand portion added later. Sam Davey was also a contractor and voluntary mailman in the Kairanga area from 1896-1924, when rural delivery was introduced. The house was still standing in 1990 with shingles under the iron on the roof and newspaper dated 1887 pasted on the interior of the wall boards under the wallpaper.

 Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 20th July 2021.  Part 2 of 2.  Centralising public sector organization. Centralising versus decentralising. Councillors versus chief executives, training for elected representatives. Lack of trust in local authorities. Few links between councils and academics. New land for housing, traffic congestion. Public consultation a farce. Which organization has responsibility? Lack of knowledge of civics. 

This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 21 February 1958, page 6: "This standard size swimming pool is the first completed project of the Pohangina Anglican Youth Centre in Ashhurst. Of concrete construction, it was build by voluntary labor in less than four and a half months. The Youth Centre Committee has now turned its attentions to the preparation of a Rugby football field, a cricket ground, and six tennis courts."

Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 8th February 2022. Part 1 of 2. Local government responses to Covid and other disasters. Voluntary networks, ethnic communities. Reliance on the authorities. Civil Defence workshop on mapping communities. Privacy issues, conflict with monitoring and databases. ID cards with facial recognition. Local government failure. Submissions to council. Referenda? Training for council staff. Governance versus management.