Transcript for Friends of Edwardes Lake

Natalie:  I'm Natalie, and, I volunteer at Edwardes Lake so that I can hang out with my best friend Jeff.

[On-screen text: National Volunteer Week 2025]

[On-screen text: Wurundjeri Country]

[On-screen text: Connecting Communities, Connecting Edwardes Park Lake Reservoir]

[On-screen text: Natalie + Jeff, Friends of Edwardes Lake Volunteers]

Natalie: I found out about the group, I moved to the area, and I work in an office all day, and I wanted something that I could do that was outside. So I started coming down on Monday nights. And I have been coming back ever since.

[On-screen text: Make a Connection]

Jeff: A lot of us are from different backgrounds and, I think that this kind of community event brings us together.

Natalie: When we're out here every Monday night, everyone who walks past, they know us, and they smile and they say hi, and they talk to us, so that's really nice.

[On-screen text: Make a Difference]

[On-screen text: Kate. Friends of Edwardes Lake Volunteer]

Kate: Particularly with planting and restoring indigenous vegetation, you not only get to do the task, but if you live in the area, you get to watch it all flourish and you get to watch other species and other parts of the community, enjoy it.]

[On-screen text: Rachel, Friends of Edwardes Lake Volunteer]

Rachel: We often get a lot of feedback that the park's looking so much more diverse now. And that's something that people are really enjoying as they go around on their walks.

[Upbeat music fades up]

[On-screen text: Thank you to our amazing volunteers!]

[DEECA end slide and logo appears, accompanied by URL: www.environment.vic.gov.au/volunteering]