Volunteers gather for 20th Daffodil Day

by Whitney Sorenson | Thursday, August 26, 2010 6:00

GROWING EVENT: Students from Wai Ora Trust, Tia Moana Lawrence (left) and Ita Hepi McRitchie enjoying their time at Preston Hill bunching up daffodils for Daffodil Day.

Wanganui Cancer Society volunteers were out in force yesterday at Preston Hill on Longacre Rd, east of Wanganui, gathering daffodils for Daffodil Day on Friday.

It will be the 20th anniversary of the fund-raising event.

Eleven volunteers yesterday had their gumboots on and were collecting bunches of daffodils.

Brian Taylor, a Cancer society volunteer, has been gathering the blooms for Daffodil Day for the past six-and-a-half years.

"I enjoy doing this ... coming out each year although I mainly transport patients who have cancer to Palmerston North hospital for treatment," Mr Taylor said.

Another Cancer Society volunteer, Warren Nation, has been a volunteer for the past 18 months.

"This is my second visit out to Preston Hill. It is great outing, I love it," Mr Nation told the Chronicle.

Five students from Wai Ora Trust also contributed to gathering up the daffs. "We really wanted to get involved and do things for the community and the students love it," Wai Ora Trust tutor Corrallie Bailey Taurua said.

Daffodils will be on sale this week at the Cancer Society Shop in Trafalgar Square and sellers will be on the streets on Friday.