KEY POINTS:
Meals on Wheels delivers cooked meals to the doors of thousands of New Zealanders who aren't able to prepare their own food.
The service depends on volunteers - about 1200 in Auckland alone - using their cars to drop the meals around their neighbourhoods. Volunteers such as Doris Fiddell.
Mrs Fiddell, 79, moved to New Zealand from Glasgow 53 years ago. She has spent 46 of those years here serving Meals on Wheels.
"I'd given up work, I didn't need to work, and I felt I should really be putting something back in to the community. I was just at home, I had the time, and I just thought it was a good cause. And I still think it's a good cause."
Auckland Meals on Wheels co-ordinator Karen Clare said Mrs Fiddell's long service was astounding.
"It's an incredible amount of time to have devoted to any community organisation. Meals on Wheels couldn't operate unless there were people prepared to devote their time to the service. She's a vital part of the community. I don't think that New Zealand society would be the way it is without people like Doris."
Mrs Fiddell delivers 14 meals each week, in her own car, to elderly and disabled residents of Glen Innes, Pt England and Panmure. The role allows her to talk to people who otherwise wouldn't see anyone else during the day, Ms Clare said.
Despite her age, Mrs Fiddell said she had no need to put her own feet up.
"I'm not a youngster. But I'm young in spirit. I'm not ready to put my feet up yet, I'm too active for that. You can't keep old weeds down.
"And I feel that the people who need it, appreciate it. And who knows, I might need it myself one day. I enjoy doing it and I'll keep doing it until the day I die."
