February Newsletter 2023

Kia ora koutou We’ve all had a well-needed holiday – while keeping a skilled crew on delivering essential hospice services across the Christmas period. And for the most part, we are all refreshed and ready for the challenges this year is certain to bring on. 

We have plenty to look forward to. 

Our Street Appeal, after being cancelled for the last two years, will go ahead on Friday 3rd March and Saturday 4th March. Keep an eye out for our army of volunteers across the region and if you’d like to assist, contact our Street Appeal coordinator on volunteer@otagohospice.co.nz 

We have our education team back up and running at full steam, with both a new Education Coordinator, Christina Bowen and a new Education Administrator, Jackie McLaughlan, together at the helm planning for a full calendar of education for nurse, medical and allied health students, aged care workers and others in the health care sector looking to upskill in palliative care. If you know of someone who is looking to upskill, please refer them to our education calendar on the Otago Hospice website. otagohospice.co.nz/education 

It feels great to also have our Kōwhai Programme back face to face, making all the difference for those caring for their loved ones who are on service with the Hospice. 

We begin the year incredibly positive about our ability to raise the increased annual fundraising target which is now sitting at $3million. When I first saw this figure from our financials in June 2022, I was wondering how on earth we could raise that much from our community which already gives so much. 

Six months down the track, I find myself so very grateful: to all those trusts who give us grants for our operational costs, to those who attend our events and make them successful, to our volunteers who continue to make such a difference to our costs, to those who donate and shop in our Hospice Shops – which are now starting to make pre-Covid levels of revenue again, and to you – our very special supporters, who year-onyear continue to support us with your giving. We haven’t reached our target yet – we still have five months to go, but it feels like we could with a little bit of luck, and some wind in our sails, make that huge target that seemed so far away at the beginning of this financial year. 

Please continue supporting us. As we continue to make a difference to so many people’s lives, as you’ll read about in Haley’s story in our latest newsletter. 

Ngā mihi mahana 

GINNY GREEN 

CEO Otago Community Hospice