The Student Volunteer Army (SVA), set up to provide both students and members of the community with opportunities to volunteer, is set to contribute to the upcoming ANZAC day commemorations in Christchurch.
They've joined forces with The University of Canterbury, SEEK Volunteer and the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association to create 'Serve for New Zealand: Anzac Day'. The campaign aims to encourage Kiwis to give an hour or more of their time to their community on or before Anzac Day.
After the devastating Canterbury earthquakes, the SVA took to the streets of Christchurch to shovel liquefaction silt and assist members of the community.
The SVA is the largest club at the University of Canterbury, with over 2500 members.
SVA Vice President Isabelle Smith says, “It’s amazing the difference people can make to the lives of others through volunteering. We hope to inspire New Zealanders to give back this Anzac Day and make a meaningful contribution to their local communities on this special day of remembrance.”
The SVA will be running a Serve for New Zealand volunteering event in Christchurch on Anzac Day at Board Park, North Beach in New Brighton, which is open to all members of the public. It will involve a variety of projects including lupin pruning, mulch spreading and planting.
Christchurch City Council park rangers identified the site as an area needing some T.L.C and the SVA hopes a large turnout on the day will help to spruce up the area.
“Whether you are an active volunteer or a beginner, Serve for New Zealand is the perfect opportunity to get stuck into the spirit of service,” says Smith.
The SVA will provide a free pancake breakfast to fuel the volunteers before the work commences at 9am. The event will wrap up with a community barbecue to thank the volunteers for their hard work.
For those outside of Christchurch, a number of other volunteer projects will be held throughout the country and can be found on the SEEK volunteer website. New Zealanders are encouraged to ‘pledge’ their time on the Serve for New Zealand website which is keeping an active tally of the hours of volunteering.