Retired geotechnical engineer Keith Gillespie’s wife, Ann, was already a volunteer at Hospice’s Albany store when Keith decided to also volunteer.
However he says it was the experience of a close business colleague, Bryce that really influenced his decision. Bryce’s wife had died in Hospice care and he was very moved by care provided by the people who worked there.
A conversation between Ann and shop Manager Joanne, identifying an upcoming vacancy, was the final piece of the jigsaw that got Keith involved with Hospice. Within a year of retiring he became a volunteer.
Keith describes his role as a volunteer as being very “back room” quite different to Ann’s, where she has direct contact with the customers. The fact that she can speak Cantonese often breaks down barriers and helps people to relax. “The volunteers at the shop are all very nice and all quite different” Keith says, “the thing they have in common is that their support for Hospice is utmost in their minds”.
Keith regards the role of volunteers as “to put money in the till for Hospice” and his own responsibility includes assessing any donated electrical equipment and appliances to determine whether they can be sold. All saleable items are sent to the Ellice Road Service Centre to be safety tested before being put into the shop. Those items that can’t be fixed can provide spare parts or missing components to other donated items.
Keith also volunteered at Ellice Road for a time and was scheduled to attend training so he could carry out the electrical safety testing training however on the day of the training he suffered a brain aneurism. Keith feels very thankful to the medical system in New Zealand, going back to the man who cured his son of cancer, the surgeons who fixed his knees and the geniuses who helped him through his aneurism – “it’s as simple as that” he says with a smile.
Keith confesses to always having had a “penchant for woodwork” and it was working as a labourer for a builder that paid his way through university. More latterly it is making wooden toys for his three great grandchildren that occupies his spare time. So it is not at all surprising to find him, drill in hand, working to secure a flimsy bookcase into a sturdy piece of furniture to be sold in the shop.
Born in Dunedin in 1936 Keith describes himself as a “Depression baby” who suffered from rickets as a child, however this didn’t stop him going on to play Ranfurly Shield rugby later in life. Married to Ann they have two children, five grandchildren and now three great grandchildren. His engineering career saw them living in Hong Kong for seven years, returning home to set up his own business working from home initially and later expanding into commercial offices. Keith sold the business in 2006 and carried on working, mentoring young engineers. “It was great working with young people all the time and not have to worry about the business” he says.
March 2017
For more information, please contact Volunteer Services by e-mail or on 09 485 3536.
