four: riding for the disabled

Who are you and what do you do in your day-to-day job?

I'm Angeline O'Grady and I am a Senior Test Analyst in the IT Applications Team at MAS.

How did you use your 'Here for Good' day?

Today I helped by planting trees to create a shelterbelt at Riding for the Disabled at Battle Hill.

Why did you choose them?

I picked Riding for Disabled as I have volunteered at a Special Needs School in the past and enjoyed helping the students. I also like animals so this was a win-win situation :-)

What did you do?

Riding for the Disabled needed a shelterbelt created and I planted lots and lots of trees and shrubs. I also got to visit the horses and eat sausage rolls for morning tea.

What did you enjoy most?

I really enjoyed getting out of the office and doing some physical work in the fresh air.

What did you learn from the experience?

I learnt how hard it is to plant trees all day and my body was quite sore the next day. The Park Ranger who oversaw the tree planting told us a few facts about the various shrubs we were planting, so I upskilled in Botany for the day.

How can I help?

Wellington Riding for the Disabled (WRDA) does not receive core government funding and therefore relies on volunteers' time and skills to maintain and upgrade their facilities. They were wonderful to deal with and very grateful for the work we undertook.