23 years of helping Save the Children

A Masterton volunteer with more than 23 years' service has been recognised for her remarkable support for Save the Children in New Zealand.

Beverley Paterson, a former president of the Wairarapa branch, said she was "very proud" to be nominated by her local Masterton branch and to receive the award at last weekend's annual meeting in Wellington.

Mrs Paterson became an active member of Save the Children in 1989 and has been the retail manager of the organisation's Masterton shop from 1999.

She also arranged sewing bees and compiled a recipe book commemorating Save the Children International's 75th anniversary

Mrs Paterson said the award was a culmination of a collaborative effort and she was eager to recognise the work of her colleagues. "There's a lot of dedicated people involved with Save the Children who I've worked with who have played a part in this."

Outgoing Save the Children chief executive Liz Gibbs congratulated Mrs Paterson and the six other long-service award winners from around the country and said their recognition was well deserved.

"We couldn't do all this without those volunteers who give their time and raise donations," said Mrs Gibbs. "So it's fitting that we honour them this way."

More than 1000 New Zealanders volunteer for Save the Children New Zealand. Their fundraising supports work for children in New Zealand, the Pacific and Asia and in response to emergencies around the world. "When it comes to supporting charities, New Zealanders are generous. We continuously rank high on global charitable giving indices and a third of Kiwis volunteer their time," said Mrs Gibbs.

"Since Save the Children NZ was founded in 1947, volunteers have been at the very heart of our organisation and we are extremely grateful for their support."