SPCA Medal
Mum and I regularly volunteer for Outreach Therapy Pets: we visit a care home, and brighten the residents’ day by letting them pat me. (Talk about a win-win: they love it, and I love it!)
Here in New Zealand this is organised as a joint venture between two charities: the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and St John (providers of ambulance and first aid services).
We recently got a letter from the SPCA which read as follows:
Dear Cornelia
As you will be aware new Zealand is joining other Nations in celebrating the remarkable service rendered to her subjects by Queen Elizabeth in this her Diamond Jubilee year. Many exciting events have already occurred, and the Royal New Zealand SPCA intends to play its part in recognising this celebration.
In preparedness for the Jubilee the Governor General released an emblem, approved by the Queen, that would become this country’s exclusive symbol marketing the 60 years of her reign. Designed by Phillip O’Shea, New Zealand’s Herald of Arms, it contains the Queen’s personal emblem and the Royal Cypher, a diamond shape representative of the occasion, and our own symbols include the koru and manuka flowers.
The SPCA has been given approval to use this emblem in an appropriate form and manner, and in determining its best use we were guided by the Queen’s Jubilee address to the British Parliament on 20th March 2012 when she stated that ‘volunteers are a source of vital support to the welfare of others, often unseen and overlooked’. What better way to celebrate the Queen’s 60 years of service than to recognise our own volunteers. As a result we have struck a gold medallion featuring the Jubilee emblem to present to 1000 selected SPCA volunteers throughout New Zealand in recognition of their meritorious service to the organisation, and to the animals.
I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected by your peers to be a recipient of this unique and exclusive medal and in so advising I send congratulations and thanks for the volunteer services you have provided.
These medallions will be presented at the Annual Blessing of the Animal Service which is being held in the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Parnell, on Sunday October 14th, 2012, commencing at 1.00pm. A special reserved section in the Cathedral has been set aside for you and you will be ushered to your seats on arrival. Please bring this letter with you for identification purposes.
Once again please accept my personal congratulations for this well deserved recognition.
Sincerely,
Bob Kerridge, National President, Royal New Zealand SPCA
So off to the Cathedral we went for the Blessing of the Animals!
The cathedral! I refused to turn round and pose, I had to pull mum along to give her the hurry up. After all, there were lots of people and animals waiting for me!
So much for there being reserved seating: the cathedral was packed! We stood at the edge (which was actually a very sociable place to be!)
Here I am chilling out with some new furiends. The cat in the hat is called 'Lady' and I was absolutely fascinated by her!
Here I am giving 'Lady', the cat in the hat, a good sniff. She didn't mind at all!
OMD, the whole day was so much fun! There were so many dogs in that church!
I think I saw one other cat – and also a gecko!
Once I got home again, I put my posing face on…
Mum and I with our medal. 🙂
Pretty exciting, huh! I am very proud of my medal, even though the volunteer work I do is easy-peasy!
Love ‘n’ nose licks,
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