This National Volunteer Week the Waitaki App spoke to Loved 4 Life Ōamaru co-ordinator Marilyn Wreakes.

When Ōamaru’s Marilyn Wreakes heard about the need for somebody to start a local branch of a charity for newborn babies, she was quick to volunteer.

Loved 4 Life is a not-for-profit community organisation founded in 2007, by Marcia Guest, in the small Kapiti Coast community of Te Horo, following the murder of twins Chris and Cru Kahui at 84 days old.

When new mothers arrive home from the hospital after giving birth, they receive a Loved 4 Life package through their midwife home visits, Marilyn said.

“They get a Loved 4 Life quilt, a cardigan or jumper, beanies, stay on socks, booties. It’s a nice little package - and then somewhere in that six-week period they also get a home-made meal.”

All quilts have “Loved” on them, along with a heart and a label on the back, stating where they came from.

It is a way to reach out to families after the birth of a new baby, to show that they are loved and supported, particularly with a lot of new parents living away from grandparents and extended family.

There is a growing number of organisations around the country, with more than 160 volunteers, and close to 9000 families have benefited from the charity.

The group began in Ōamaru last year, after former local woman Cathy Taylor, who started the Ōmokoroa group near Tauranga, came back for a visit and to gauge interest here last November, Marilyn said.

“I phoned Cathy and she was really excited, and I asked her what was involved in being a leader - she made it sound very easy!

“I’ve always been up for a challenge. I’m a sewer also, and I do do quilting, and I had a lot of material cut into squares.

“So the interest was always there, I was a sitting duck for it.” 

Once word got out that Loved 4 Life had arrived in Ōamaru, people started contacting Marilyn straight away. 

“It was just amazing. I had a cupboard full just before Christmas, and that was only six weeks.”

The first packages were taken to the midwives at Ōamaru Hospital in April, and 13 more went down a week ago.

“So they’ve had 20 so far,” she said.

About 20 women were knitting for Marilyn, but she was struggling to find enough bassinet quilts. 

“I really need quilts and I really need ladies who can cook a meal.

Marilyn said there were more babies being born in Oamaru than she expected, 

“Our population is exploding. Ninety-six were born up to the end of June this year, and we’ve got just over 100 coming for the rest of the year,” she said.

“I’m trying to get ahead of them, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to manage that.”

Applying for funding is also time-consuming, as Loved 4 Life supplies all the merino wool and quilting materials to the crafters, and the cost was estimated at about $80 per baby. 

Marilyn has heard, via the midwives, that families are “really appreciative” of the packages they receive.

As well as the Loved 4 Life volunteer role, Marilyn is responsible for her Clydesdale Drive Neighbourhood Support group, hosting morning teas and making contact with new residents, in the ever-growing Holmes Hill subdivision.

“It’s a good little safety net. Most of the people here are retired, which is quite good because most of us are home most of the time.”

She said her volunteer roles are rewarding.

“What you give out, it actually comes back, in the way that it’s a satisfying feeling.”

The women who knitted for her feel the same way.

“The ladies who are knitting, they feel like they’re in a community where they feel satisfied that what they’re doing is for young babies, so it’s not just - oh, you’re just knitting and you hand it over.”

People wanting to contribute to Loved 4 Life, either by quilting or cooking meals, can contact Marilyn on 0272822042 or email: [email protected]