Ten volunteer workshops will open at 10 local parks, starting tomorrow, to provide various free services for visitors, the Shanghai Greenery Administrative Bureau said yesterday.

The services include legal consultation at Changfeng Park, Putuo District; psychological consultation at Sports Park, Minhang District; medical consultation and treatment at Penglai Park, Huangpu District; painting courses at Caoxi Park, Xuhui District; household gardening training at Yangpu District Park; as well as collecting donations for the disabled at Kaiqiao Park in Changning District.

College students will serve as English interpreters at Shanghai Zoo on public holidays and weekends.

Currently, the city has 700 teams of more than 13,000 volunteers in 141 parks, said Wang Liqiong, an official with the bureau.

Most of the volunteers are retired people who do morning exercises at the parks, she said. Their main duty is to help maintain order in the parks.

"I feel happy when I see so many people sitting around me, listening to the news I read," said Pan Zhixin, 76, who has been reading newspapers for elderly visitors at Heping Park, Hongkou District, every morning since 1988.

(Shanghai Daily July 28, 2005)