{"id":595732,"date":"2026-09-10T05:24:17","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T05:24:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/595732\/"},"modified":"2026-09-10T05:24:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T05:24:17","slug":"43-years-of-making-a-difference-one-delivery-at-a-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/595732\/","title":{"rendered":"43 years of making a difference, one delivery at a time"},"content":{"rendered":"

For more than four decades, one Christchurch Meals on Wheels volunteer driver has been making deliveries, meeting people at their doors and seeing firsthand the difference a hot meal \u2013 and a friendly face \u2013 can make.<\/p>\n

Rosemary (Rose) Bushell began volunteering in the early 1980s, after a friend suggested they do Meals on Wheels together. Her friend soon moved overseas, but Rose carried on. What started as a few deliveries quickly became a regular commitment and a longstanding part of her life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did it a few times and then I\u2019ve never thought of not doing it, you get into a routine,\u201d Rose says.<\/p>\n

These days, she volunteers fortnightly, collecting meals from the pick-up point in Richmond before heading through the eastern suburbs.<\/p>\n

Rose says the way meals are prepared and delivered is the biggest change she has seen. In the early days, meals were collected in metal containers from Christchurch Women\u2019s Hospital, then dished onto plates and heated in people\u2019s homes. Volunteers would return the used containers afterwards.<\/p>\n

Today, meals arrive individually packaged and ready to deliver. There are also more dietary requirements to keep track of \u2013 something Rose has learned to pay close attention to.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou do have to carefully read the instructions,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Small interactions, big impact<\/p>\n

Over the years, various friends and family members have joined Rose on delivery runs, including her mother, who had previously delivered Meals on Wheels in Dunedin before moving to Christchurch.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Christchurch Meals on Wheels volunteer Rose Bushell, one of the longer-serving volunteers in the area, cuts the cake at a local celebration in June 2026 marking 75 years of the New Zealand Red Cross Meals on Wheels delivery service.<\/p>\n

Rose also recalls one day when her granddaughter, who was about three years old, came along. As they said goodbye to an elderly gentleman at his door, her granddaughter looked at him and confidently announced, \u201cI bet you can\u2019t do this,\u201d before skipping off down the path.<\/p>\n

The gentleman burst into laughter and replied, \u201cNo, I couldn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a moment Rose remembers fondly \u2013 one of the many small interactions that have made her years of volunteering so memorable.<\/p>\n

And it is the people she has met along the way who have kept her volunteering for more than four decades.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve always been so nice, so grateful,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Going the extra mile<\/p>\n

Not every delivery has been straightforward. Rose has had to navigate Christchurch\u2019s ever-changing roads, including one memorable day when the GPS in her car repeatedly sent her towards roads that had been closed or changed to a one-way system.<\/p>\n

On another occasion, while delivering in a new area, Rose found herself standing between two blocks of a retirement village, trying to work out which way to go. A resident eventually called out from a window and pointed her in the right direction.<\/p>\n

For Rose, Meals on Wheels has offered a window into lives and experiences very different from her own. Some recipients are keen to chat, while others simply take their meal and close the door. She respects both.<\/p>\n

The rewards of volunteering<\/p>\n

After 43 years, Rose still sees volunteering as a simple way to stay active, connected and motivated.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s good to do, it\u2019s very easy and it\u2019s not time consuming,\u201d she says. \u201cPeople are really grateful, you\u2019re giving food to people who really need it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her advice to anyone considering volunteering is simple \u2013 give it a go. \u201cVolunteers can choose how often they deliver, making it an easy way to contribute to the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

More information
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

For 75 years, volunteers have been the driving force behind the New Zealand Red Cross Meals on Wheels delivery service.<\/p>\n

This year marks 75 years of the New Zealand Red Cross Meals on Wheels delivery service. Volunteers are at the heart of the service, generously giving their time to deliver not only hot meals, but also care and connection to people in their communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We are truly grateful to all Meals on Wheels volunteers, including many who have been involved for decades \u2013 an extraordinary commitment and community spirit.<\/p>\n

Our Meals on Wheels delivery service supports older people, those recovering from illness or injury, and others who live at home and may struggle to prepare hot, nutritious meals for themselves.<\/p>\n

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