Planting The Seed: Supergran's Call To Action

Jill Digs Deep For Ronald McdonaldHouse.

Jill Hutchison doesn’t like a fuss. Whether it’s celebrating her recent 70th birthday or being recognised as one of the longest-serving volunteers at Ronald McDonald House Charities New Zealand, this humble grandmother isn’t one to pat herself on the back.

When the Weekly contacts her for an interview, she reluctantly agrees – if only to highlight the difference the charity can make in creating a ‘home away from home’ for families who have a child in hospital.

“I call it my second home now too!” chuckles Jill, who for the past 20 years has selflessly donated her time each week at the organisation’s Auckland houses. She has done everything from cleaning ovens and making lunches to teaching card making at its onsite school.

But her biggest role is as head gardener, leading a team of four other hardworking volunteers who all jokingly call her “boss”.

Every Monday at 6.30am, Jill leaves her home in West Harbour to trek across the city and starts weeding, trimming, planting and watering the gardens surrounding Auckland Domain House and Grafton Mews House.

“I honestly can’t wait to get there,” she enthuses.

“Even though I never get on top of the gardening, ever, because there’s so much to do. We just go bit by bit.”

It was March 1998 when Jill – a former lampshade maker – was flicking through a magazine and spied an ad looking for volunteers. She had never heard of the charity but liked the idea of “doing something that helped sick children”.