Nicki Turner

Volunteering Support and Engagement Advisor

Nicki was born and bred in Tauranga but has been away for 30 years, working in Pukekohe in the disabled and social service sector. She worked for Blind Low Vision in Needs Assessment for the midcentral area, and for IHC.

She and her husband took off for Australia for five years, working short term and travelling around the country. Her husband, a farmer, decided to semi-retire from farming and Nicki returned to the same job with Blind Low Vision when they returned to Tauranga in November 2023.

“I’ve always been involved in the volunteer space. It’s just what we do, we’re a family of volunteers. I’m looking forward to connecting with the local community and rebuilding networks having been away so long.”
She lives at Pyes Pā, but her favourite thing to do is walk their springer spaniel on the beach at the Mount.

Reach out to Nicki on nicki@socialink.org.nz or 021 225 2994

Free advocacy service relies on volunteers

MEDIA RELEASE February 19, 2024 Hundreds of Tauranga people overwhelmed by dealing with bureaucracy are being helped by a free advocacy service mostly staffed by volunteers. The Free Public Advocacy Service runs regular clinics in Greerton, Arataki, Pāpāmoa, Welcome Bay and a new session is starting up in March at the central city library

By |2025-02-21T12:03:51+13:00February 19th, 2025|Volunteer Stories|Comments Off on Free advocacy service relies on volunteers

Volunteer English teacher learns from his students

MEDIA RELEASE February 11, 2024 Mark Bils has been teaching English for years, but these days he says he learns just as much from his students. Mark is our Volunteer of the Month, and he teaches English to new migrants or to anyone visiting New Zealand who would like to learn more conversational English

By |2025-02-19T12:55:42+13:00February 12th, 2025|Volunteer Stories|Comments Off on Volunteer English teacher learns from his students

40 years of service with Red Cross Meals on Wheels

Nationally, the NZ Red Cross coordinates over 3,000 Meals on Wheels volunteers, who deliver meals and compassion across 33 locations - a lifeline to those in need...read more here. Pam Smith has volunteered for 40 years with Meals on Wheels. After moving to Tauranga from Auckland in 1984, Pam was looking for a way to help the community. Volunteering with

By |2025-02-13T12:04:44+13:00January 20th, 2025|Volunteer Stories|Comments Off on 40 years of service with Red Cross Meals on Wheels

Volunteers staff new Habitat for Humanity op shop

MEDIA RELEASE Volunteers have been busy setting up racks of clothing and pricing shelves of homewares before a new Habitat for Humanity ReStore op shop opened in Mount Maunganui last week. The shop in Tawa Street officially opened last Friday, but work behind the scenes has been going on for a while, thanks to

By |2025-01-20T11:06:53+13:00January 20th, 2025|Volunteer Stories|Comments Off on Volunteers staff new Habitat for Humanity op shop

Neighbourhood Support volunteers turn out for food drives

Western Bay of Plenty Neighbourhood Support volunteers turned out in droves to help collect for the Emergency Services Food Drives in late November and December. Neighbourhood Support is a community-led charity building safe, supportive and connected communities throughout Aotearoa. In the Western Bay, there are 14,500 member families, with Street Groups operating in most streets

By |2025-01-20T11:37:32+13:00December 18th, 2024|Volunteer Stories|Comments Off on Neighbourhood Support volunteers turn out for food drives

Young volunteer lends a hand at charity

Caio Martins is just finishing his Year 12 studies but he’s already an old hand when it comes to volunteering. He’s been volunteering for One Love Charity events - like the Tauranga Diwali Festival and Holi Colour Splash - and they can’t speak highly enough of his work ethic. “Teenager Caio has shown exceptional

By |2024-12-19T21:13:49+13:00December 10th, 2024|Volunteer Stories|Comments Off on Young volunteer lends a hand at charity

Helping others to cook for good health

Frederick Wihongi got into teaching others to cook because he wanted to improve his own health. Now he’s won recognition from SociaLink’s Volunteering Services for his contribution for International Volunteer Day on December 5. He’s down at St John’s Church in Ōtumoetai on a Friday helping a group of seniors keen to learn new

By |2024-12-18T23:02:36+13:00December 3rd, 2024|Volunteer Stories|Comments Off on Helping others to cook for good health

Young volunteers spruce up cricket club

A group of young people are making the most of the holidays, sprucing up Te Puke’s cricket club with a colourful mural. Kalib Wallace, from 247 Health and Fitness, mentors rangatahi in the Te Puke area at his gym and is bringing them together to paint murals. He’s completed several large murals around the

By |2024-10-09T10:08:36+13:00October 2nd, 2024|Volunteer Stories|Comments Off on Young volunteers spruce up cricket club

SPCA laundry is Lesley’s happy place

For most of us, laundry is a tiresome chore, but for SPCA volunteer Lesley Marshall it’s her happy place. It’s Mental Health Awareness Week, and she’s proof that volunteering is good for your mental health, no matter the job. For 21 years, Lesley has turned up at the Tauranga SPCA three days a week

By |2024-09-26T09:18:21+12:00September 24th, 2024|Volunteer Stories|Comments Off on SPCA laundry is Lesley’s happy place

Under the Stars: Plastic table to a community lifeline

In the heart of Tauranga's city centre, something remarkable happens every week.  Under the Stars began in late 2014 with a plastic table set up outside the Tauranga City Library serving meals for the homeless.  Liz Kite, inspired by a need she saw in the community, decided to take action. In the beginning, only

By |2024-09-17T21:38:34+12:00September 11th, 2024|Volunteer Stories|Comments Off on Under the Stars: Plastic table to a community lifeline
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