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When it comes to turning trash in to treasure, hospice takes a lot of beating.
Along with the weekly garage sales, Warkworth Wellsford Hospice runs three successful retail outlets – two in Argyll Angle in Warkworth, and one in Wellsford. Together, they underwrite more than any other fundraising activity the work that hospice does.
The Warkworth shop opened 22 years ago in the small area that is now the sorting room, next to the main shop. They took over the larger premises when Letcher’s Variety Store closed down. Wellsford opened in 1996 and Tickled Pink, in the former bicycle repair shop, two years ago.
The shops sell a huge range of items but the big sellers are clothing, bric-a-brac, books, jewellery and household wares.
Locals make up the bulk of customers, but the shops are also a popular haunt for Aucklanders and visitors from further afield. Some are bargain hunters and recycling and up-cycling enthusiasts, while others are collectors or simply browsing and reminiscing about items they haven’t seen in a while.
Around 100 volunteers are involved in running the two Warkworth shops, under the management of Christine Hannah, who has, over the years, developed an eye for spotting items that can sell for more than the usual shop prices.
“Everything we sell is donated and most of the time we don’t know who the donations are from,” she says. “We use online trading sites for anything that we think is a bit special. For instance, we recently got $1500 for a little toy Fun Ho aeroplane. One of the more unusual items left for sale was a set of opium weighing scales – it took us a while to work out exactly what they were.”
Tickled Pink provides an outlet for items that are antique, retro or quirky.
“It means people can donate their treasurers knowing that hospice will get something closer to their worth, rather than just giving them away for a few dollars.”
Christine says the majority of the volunteers have had some personal connection with hospice, but she believes their loyalty to the shops also has something to do with the family atmosphere.
“The team members develop friendships and sometimes we have some very long morning teas!”
