Pamela Testimonial

“It’s a privilege to help form a child and set them up for life. They go from being a baby who just lies there, to a whole person with moods, thoughts and ideas – someone who runs to you and tells you stories.” 

When Pamela went for job interviews, she would always make sure there was a Whānau Āwhina Plunket playgroup in the area, as she loved attending these groups. Not being able to drive, it was essential that she could walk to her local Plunket playgroup, allowing the baby in her care to spend some time socialising with other children. 

After retiring, Pamela missed being around children and decided to begin volunteering at her local Plunket playgroup. She says,

‟I’d sit with the children so the mums could sit and talk. Mums get very isolated with a small child, so I’d keep an eye on the children for them. One lady at the playgroup told me, ‘My boy really loves you. He talks about you all the time'."

Pamela replied with a cheeky grin, "What’s not to love!”

Pamela says that she has a good sense of humour, a vital attribute when working with children. According to Pamela, no two days with children are the same. 

Having seen the benefits of Plunket playgroups and knowing how heavily they relied on donations, Pamela decided to donate to Plunket on a monthly basis.

“The socialisation of the Plunket playgroups is what I like. I used to like going to the playgroups. The children would learn a lot from each other, and from the adults.”

At one stage Pamela felt overwhelmed by many charity requests. At that stage Pamela decided to focus her giving on a few of her favourite charities including Plunket. She says that,

“You can’t make a better investment than in children, because they’re the future. If you bring them up right, they’ll have a good life. You’ve got to make happy memories for them. If you don’t have good memories, you’ve got nothing to build on.”

Pamela loves that Plunket has a grassroots focus, supporting children and families all over Aotearoa New Zealand. Recognising the cost-of-living crisis and other challenges that whānau face, Pamela says,

“Some families must be in dire straits. I don’t know how they cope with children. It must be hard. It really must.” 

Even though Pamela doesn’t spend a lot of time with children anymore, she still stays connected by making quilts for babies, and toys for toddlers including dolls with handmade outfits.

“I’ve donated many quilts and dolls and sold them at markets,” Pamela explains, recognising the importance of a healthy sleep routine and stimulating playtime activities for a child’s health and development. Pamela shares that dolls are a great way to build a child’s empathy. 

Empathy is one of Pamela’s greatest qualities, reflected in her thoughtful decision to care for the next generation by including a gift in her Will to the Plunket Foundation. 

For Pamela it was an easy decision as she claims, “Children are my thing.” Not having any children herself, she’s thrilled to help Plunket give every child in New Zealand the best start in life, for generations to come.  

Find out more about including a gift in your Will.