43 years of making a difference, one delivery at a time

For more than four decades, one Christchurch Meals on Wheels volunteer driver has been making deliveries, meeting people at their doors and seeing firsthand the difference a hot meal – and a friendly face – can make.

Rosemary (Rose) Bushell began volunteering in the early 1980s, after a friend suggested they do Meals on Wheels together. Her friend soon moved overseas, but Rose carried on. What started as a few deliveries quickly became a regular commitment and a longstanding part of her life.

“I did it a few times and then I’ve never thought of not doing it, you get into a routine,” Rose says.

These days, she volunteers fortnightly, collecting meals from the pick-up point in Richmond before heading through the eastern suburbs.

Rose says the way meals are prepared and delivered is the biggest change she has seen. In the early days, meals were collected in metal containers from Christchurch Women’s Hospital, then dished onto plates and heated in people’s homes. Volunteers would return the used containers afterwards.

Today, meals arrive individually packaged and ready to deliver. There are also more dietary requirements to keep track of – something Rose has learned to pay close attention to.

“You do have to carefully read the instructions,” she says.

Small interactions, big impact

Over the years, various friends and family members have joined Rose on delivery runs, including her mother, who had previously delivered Meals on Wheels in Dunedin before moving to Christchurch.

Christchurch Meals on Wheels volunteer Rose Bushell, one of the longer-serving volunteers in the area, cuts the cake at a local celebration in June 2026 marking 75 years of the New Zealand Red Cross Meals on Wheels delivery service.

Rose also recalls one day when her granddaughter, who was about three years old, came along. As they said goodbye to an elderly gentleman at his door, her granddaughter looked at him and confidently announced, “I bet you can’t do this,” before skipping off down the path.

The gentleman burst into laughter and replied, “No, I couldn’t.”

It’s a moment Rose remembers fondly – one of the many small interactions that have made her years of volunteering so memorable.

And it is the people she has met along the way who have kept her volunteering for more than four decades.

“They’ve always been so nice, so grateful,” she says.

Going the extra mile

Not every delivery has been straightforward. Rose has had to navigate Christchurch’s ever-changing roads, including one memorable day when the GPS in her car repeatedly sent her towards roads that had been closed or changed to a one-way system.

On another occasion, while delivering in a new area, Rose found herself standing between two blocks of a retirement village, trying to work out which way to go. A resident eventually called out from a window and pointed her in the right direction.

For Rose, Meals on Wheels has offered a window into lives and experiences very different from her own. Some recipients are keen to chat, while others simply take their meal and close the door. She respects both.

The rewards of volunteering

After 43 years, Rose still sees volunteering as a simple way to stay active, connected and motivated.

“It’s good to do, it’s very easy and it’s not time consuming,” she says. “People are really grateful, you’re giving food to people who really need it.”

Her advice to anyone considering volunteering is simple – give it a go. “Volunteers can choose how often they deliver, making it an easy way to contribute to the community.”

More information

For 75 years, volunteers have been the driving force behind the New Zealand Red Cross Meals on Wheels delivery service.

This year marks 75 years of the New Zealand Red Cross Meals on Wheels delivery service. Volunteers are at the heart of the service, generously giving their time to deliver not only hot meals, but also care and connection to people in their communities. 

We are truly grateful to all Meals on Wheels volunteers, including many who have been involved for decades – an extraordinary commitment and community spirit.

Our Meals on Wheels delivery service supports older people, those recovering from illness or injury, and others who live at home and may struggle to prepare hot, nutritious meals for themselves.

• Find out more information about Meals on Wheels and how New Zealand Red Cross supports the service. Get Meals on Wheels
• Read more about 75 years of the New Zealand Red Cross Meals on Wheels delivery service