Z is for New Zealand

Did you know that Z is for New Zealand? No, we’re not having trouble with our spelling. Z stands for “Z Energy,” a New Zealand-based fuel distribution company, that actively seeks to support New Zealanders as they travel about for work, leisure, sports, holidays or volunteering. Z Energy is community focused and is aware of the needs of charity organisations whose volunteers need to travel about. So, in their desire to address needs in the community, Z Energy recently paid-forward $700 worth of fuel vouchers to Age Concern Tauranga.

Age Concern is an organisation that is concerned with and about people who are ageing. Although we may not all be or feel old (or wonder if we'll ever be old), we will all get there at some time, and some people do not age as well as others. This is where Age Concern comes in. They are an organisation that looks after people over the age of 65 years as well as their friends and whānau (or extended family). As a charity, Age Concern seeks to offer older people in the community “dignity, wellbeing, equity and respect and provide expert information and support services in response to older people's needs.” Age Concern is busy.

Part of what Age Concern does is to run Steady as You Go, a strength and balance exercise programme designed to help older people. Apparently, falls are preventable and are not a natural part of ageing. Good to know! Age Concern Tauranga runs a number of these classes in the local area, and volunteers who take these classes often have to do a lot of driving in a week to generously run the classes.

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Tanya from Age Concern Tauranga was grateful to Z Energy for donating these fuel cards, and she was able to reimburse some of the volunteers for their travel costs. She said she “couldn’t believe how generous the community is.” Tanya also plans to use some of the vouchers to enclose with Christmas cards (at Christmas) as a way to thank volunteers and those associated with Age Concern for their support.

S&L Land Specialists and Spark Business Hub Bay of Plenty, two of our corporate partners, also paid-it-forward to Z Energy to help pay for the fuel vouchers. In keeping with the pay-it-forward ethos here at GoGenerosity, S&L, Spark and Z Energy, through Age Concern, could see a need in the community and have helped to meet it.

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