Heart Foundation Volunteer Awareness Week

The support the Heart Foundation recieves from its volunteers is essential in helping the busy chartiy to achieve much of its work. Across the Heart Foundation’s 19 branches, volunteers provide their experience, skills and energy to help the organisation connect with local communities. The Heart Foundation is celebrating its volunteers during National Volunteer Week which runs from June 15 to June 21.

Volunteers undertake a variety of roles including providing governance to the Heart Foundation’s Board and Strategic Advisory Groups, administration support and helping at community events. The Heart Foundation also trains volunteers to present heart health seminars at businesses and organisations around the country. Heart Health Advocate, Naadira Desai says she knows only too well the impact volunteers can make in the community. “We are very reliant on the goodwill of our volunteers to carry out the array of activities we undertake in the community,” says Naadira. “Volunteers are a key tool in spreading the Heart Foundation’s messages and helping to ensure all New Zealanders are engaged and informed about their heart health.  Volunteers help us to encourage people (and their families) to have a regular heart check.”

The Heart Foundation is the charity working to stop New Zealanders dying prematurely from heart disease – the country’s single biggest killer. Since the charity started over 45 years’ ago, heart disease death rates in New Zealand have halved and stroke death rates have almost halved.  Despite these excellent advances, these diseases still account for more than 30% of all deaths in New Zealand each year, many of which are premature and preventable.

If you are interested in volunteering for the Heart Foundation for this or other roles please contact the local office or register online at http://www.heartfoundation.org.nz .