Sign In / Register
The Hospice Shop in Te Hana will close on April 18.
Harbour Hospice chief executive Amanda Fowler says the closure reflects a combination of workforce, operational and financial pressures that have made it increasingly challenging to sustain the shop long-term.
“This was not an easy decision,” Fowler says. “Over time, ongoing challenges with staffing and volunteers, alongside broader operational pressures, have meant the shop is no longer sustainable in the way it needs to be.”
She says that hospice’s commitment to the people of Te Hana, and the wider Warkworth/Wellsford community, remains strong.
“We’ll continue to serve the area through our Warkworth and Wellsford shops, and through the wider hospice services we provide, ensuring people can still connect with us in meaningful ways.”
Fowler acknowledged the shop’s “small but committed” group of volunteers, led by manager Melissa Hunt, and the decades of service to rangitahi and the wider community offered by the shop’s landlords.
“Their commitment has been real and heartfelt, and we are deeply grateful for the role they have played in supporting this mahi.”
The Te Hana shop opened in August 2019 and is one of 17 shops that help fund the vital care provided free of charge across the community.
“Every donated item, every purchase has helped make hospice care possible for hundreds of patients, their families and whānau. That impact will be long-lasting, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of its story,” Fowler says.
From February 28, any local donations will be accepted at the Wellsford and Warkworth hospice shops. In addition, Wellsford will open six days a week from May.
