The 2011 Head Girl of the College, Tessa Meyer, is continuing the Saint Kentigern tradition of service with her support of a special campaign to promote volunteering in the community. The initiative has been founded by the RSA, University of Canterbury (UC) and Student Volunteer Army and is called Serve for New Zealand: Anzac Day. It aims to honour the spirit of the Anzacs and to embed the values of compassion, commitment, comradeship and courage into everyday New Zealand life.

Following her graduation from the College, Tessa gained a Bachelor of Science at UC and is now studying towards her Masters in Urban Resilience and Renewal. She is the Vice-President of the UC Student Volunteer Army, whose response to the Christchurch earthquakes is the basis for the Serve for New Zealand project.

‘In the aftermath of the quakes in Christchurch, the need to support each other produced an extraordinary connection between people of all ages and walks of life. The experience taught us lot about community. We have partnered with the RSA as we have a strong alignment of values (the Student Volunteer Army won Anzac of the Year in 2012), and we want to further NZ’s identity as a friendly, helpful, and community oriented place. At the core of this campaign, we want the legacy of the earthquakes to be about community for all of NZ. My time with SVA as a volunteer has been one of the most important and rewarding experiences I have had, so I’m really excited to see this movement gain momentum and for people all across NZ to enjoy connecting with others.’

To celebrate the kiwi spirit of service, the Serve for New Zealand drive is asking people to give an hour of their time to help out in the community on Anzac Day. To find out more, including a list of suggested volunteering ideas, and to pledge your time, head to www.servefor.nz. 

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