When I retired from paid employment I felt that I needed to look for something else, as I did not want to become stagnant. I joined a walking club and we did some beautiful walks round Rotorua and beyond. I also did a massage course, which was a real morale booster for me. Over the years I have had so much pleasure doing massages as well as meeting amazing people through my work as a volunteer.

​After the successful Girl to Woman (G2W) Festival held at Lennox Head in February 2017, the Aunties and Elders who came from Tenterfield with a group of aboriginal girls, asked if a similar Festival could be held in their town. After much planning by a dedicated group of volunteers the date was set for Sunday 27th August. 

One of the joys of being an Elder is that there are so many opportunities to continue to play an active role in the community for as long as you feel to. There will always be community events    where we can contribute our wisdom and our lived experience for the support of others, both young and old! We just have to be open to recognising the opportunities when they come.