She has lived in Queenstown for 17 years and is the Wakatipu co-ordinator of the Family Works Big Buddy Programme. The Big Buddy Programme has been going in the Wakatipu Basin since 2001 and has 26 adults paired with 26 children between the ages of 4 and 14. Mrs Benington says children in the programme come from a variety of circumstances which puts them in need of more adult support. For someone who is considering becoming a Big Buddy, the benefits are fairly straightforward. On top of her work with the Big Buddy Programme, Ms Benington is the also the trust chairwoman for the Happiness House, the Wakatipu Basin’s only community drop-in centre.

Source: Otago Daily Times June 26, 2020 16:36 UTC