Decision to leave Under the Stars ‘bittersweet’ for Tauranga volunteer Laura Wood

Laura Wood has been putting in the hard work since October 2019. Photo / Alex Cairns

After almost four years of leading an organisation caring for Tauranga’s most vulnerable, Laura Wood is tired and ready to be with family.

That’s why she has made the “bittersweet” decision to step down from her full-time volunteer position at Under the Stars.

The charitable trust - based on Cliff Rd - serves home-cooked meals and offers hot showers to people in need twice a week.

Wood, who joined the board in April 2019, stepped in as operations manager and volunteer co-ordinator in November of that year. At the time, she had just finished a 15-month contract as a software tester and had time on her hands to pick up the responsibility, she said.

She and her husband Dean will soon move to Silverdale to spend time with their daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren, aged four and six.

The 59-year-old had been “putting off” the move, but said now was the right time to go.

“I wasn’t ready to let go. I felt like I was still needed and my calling was still here, but the timing just fell into place. So now it’s time to go,” she said.

“I feel ready but disappointed I didn’t get Under the Stars to where I was hoping it would go - but sometimes things need fresh eyes.

“They say you’ve done your dash or whatever. I just feel calm inside about it.”

Wood said she was exhausted describing the role as “very draining emotionally and mentally”.

“I’m tired. It has taken a lot out of me.”

It was upsetting that issues in the community four years ago had not improved and there was increased demand for help, she said.

Wood said the board had struggled to find someone to replace her as a full-time volunteer. Now they were applying for funding to hire two part-time staff members.

“I didn’t get paid for anything, so finding someone to take over is not possible. Most people are not going to be in a position where they can do that.”

The task was “quite time-sensitive”, but she remained confident there would be money available so the charity could continue to serve meals twice a week.

“We just need to do it sooner rather than later.”

Asked what kept her in the role, Wood responded: “In a very selfish way, it made me feel needed, you know, it gave me a purpose.”

She had been a foster parent for 12 years beforehand and started to feel “separated” from society when that ended.

The camaraderie among volunteers and helping people re-energised her.

“When you help someone, you can see the light in their eyes - that makes you feel good inside.”

She was motivated by those who had been volunteering throughout the pandemic, saying they were busy with other life commitments but continued to “give time consistently”.

“That gives you a reason to keep going. You’re like, ‘Wow, these people are amazing’. It feels good to be a part of that.”

She said the work they were doing was “certainly not solving the issue” of homelessness, but it was addressing an immediate need.

Laura Wood celebrates her success with the volunteers of Good Neighbour. Left to right: Kathryn Kear, Julie Finlayson, Yvonne Jaensch, Michaela Murray, Rachael Martin, Laura Wood, Rodney Landrebe, Cecily Munro and Jim Cruickshank. Photo / Alex Cairns

They supported homeless people, along with families and elderly people living in rental properties and emergency accommodation, she said.

“It opens your eyes to the needs of everyone - not just the homeless. There are loads of people that are just hungry, struggling day to day. It’s just being in tune to those needs,” she said.

“I like to think every day of the week there’s a meal so that people don’t need to go scavenge for something. There’s a place they can go and they don’t have to worry.”

During the pandemic, Under the Stars started working collaboratively with other community organisations - including Good Neighbour and Kai Aroha.

Wood found herself working 50 hours a week during the first lockdown, which was when demand for cooked meals more than doubled. She was kept busy co-ordinating volunteers to cook, prepare and deliver meals while ensuring all Covid protocols were met.

They were also short on volunteers as those aged 70 and older were asked to stay home, she said.

“We didn’t want to expose them to anything. So our volunteer numbers decreased, but our demand increased.”

Volunteers made between 200 and 300 meals every Thursday and Saturday. Typically they would serve about 50 lunches on Thursday and 100 dinners on Saturday.

Wood created a spreadsheet with a list of all the households that needed meals delivered. This was given to other groups providing food support in Tauranga, she said.

“We would update it every night to get it to the next group so the next day they knew who they were delivering to,” she said.

Her last day with Under the Stars would be on March 30, which she described as “bittersweet”.

Most of all, she would “really miss” the volunteers and regular guests who had become an “integral part” of her life.

Under the Stars serves meals at 12pm on Thursdays and 5pm on Saturdays from their centre on 45 Cliff Rd. Hot showers, clean towels and toiletries are also available.