Now involved in many community activities, she is part of an effort to create networks for young families who are often lonely, and know few people.
''I was a widow. I had plenty of time on my hands.''
Mrs Robins moved to the Taieri in 2003 from Lamb Hill Station, where she had lived since the early 1990s.
She is Neighbourhood Support's Taieri Mosgiel co-ordinator; a Cancer Society driver, delivers meals on wheels, volunteers for Mosgiel community patrol, monitors CCTV at Dunedin Central Police Station, and is involved with community networking and problem-solving groups.
She is also involved with RSA as an associate member, volunteers for an array of church activities, and is involved with Angel Flight NZ, a group that flies patients to other centres for treatment.
It is not yet operating locally but was being established, she said.
Mrs Robins said many young families were busy, often with jobs in Dunedin, and did not have much time for community involvement.
Local agencies were trying to devise groups for them to be more involved in the community, she said.
She was also trying to expand neighbourhood support to rural areas to prevent rural crime.
Ensuring older people felt safe in their homes also motivated her involvement with neighbourhood support, and she was concerned about reports of attacks on older people in other centres.
She said many elderly people got few visitors, and were grateful for the regular contact from Meals on Wheels volunteers.
