Ten Hospices to benefit from Hospice NZ Grants Programme

Press release

9 November 2018

More than $63,000 has been donated to hospice services throughout the country in the second year of the Harcourts Foundation funded, Hospice NZ Grants Programme.

The Harcourts Foundation and Hospice NZ established this unique programme in July 2017 and to date more than $114,000 has been donated to hospices across the country. The goal of the programme is to provide member hospices with an opportunity to apply for grants to fund key capital items that have a direct benefit to people using hospice services.

Harcourts CEO, Chris Kennedy says it is an honour to work with New Zealand hospices. “Hospices aim to help people make the most of their lives, to live every moment in whatever way is important to them. I have huge admiration for the work they do and for the difference they make in communities across the country”.

One of the services benefitting from the programme is Wellington’s Mary Potter Hospice, receiving $15,000 towards a lift chair. The lift chair can be used by anyone who may have trouble getting in and out of a bath safely, making it easier for them to enjoy a relaxing and soothing bath at the hospice’s inpatient facility. “To enable these kinds of projects that enhance a person’s quality of life is really special”, says Chris.

Hospice NZ Chief Executive, Mary Schumacher says, “We’re very grateful to the Harcourts Foundation and to Harcourts teams throughout New Zealand for working with us on this unique programme. These grants make a real, tangible difference to people using hospice services, and help ensure hospice care remains free of charge. We’re very proud of this programme”.

The Hospice NZ Grants Programme grants for 2018 are:

• Hospice Mid Northland, $5,248 for two beds that can be used in people’s homes in the community

• Nelson Tasman Hospice, $10,170 for two beds and mattresses for the hospice inpatient facility

• Te Omanga Hospice (Hutt Valley), $4,890 for two syringe drivers for providing pain relief

• Rotorua Community Hospice, $4,980 for two specialised beds

• Mary Potter Hospice (Wellington), $15,000 for a lift chair to provide safe access to bath facilities at the inpatient facility

• Hospice Taranaki, $2,584 for a bed for use in the community

• Otago Community Hospice, $10,000 towards a bladder scanner

• Hospice Tairawhiti (Gisborne), $2,895 for an adjustable bed

• Nurse Maude Hospice (Christchurch), $2,737 for a specialist air mattress

• Totara Hospice South Auckland, $4,998 for two premier mattressesfor use at the hospice inpatient facility

In addition to the Hospice NZ Grants Programme, many Harcourts franchisees around the country work alongside their local hospices, both financially and through volunteer work.

Harcourts Foundation ambassador, Emma Revell says Harcourts teams from around the country are humbled to be supporting New Zealand hospices. “Our Harcourts values are: People First, Doing the Right Thing, Being Courageous; and Fun and Laughter. We believe these align perfectly with Hospice NZ’s philosophy of helping people to live every moment in whatever way is important to them.”

About Harcourts Foundation

Harcourts launched Harcourts Foundation in 2008 which makes us 10 years old! Our promise is simple; to provide support that helps, grows and enriches our communities. With 100% of the funds raised going straight to the charities who need it most, we’ve been able to provide grants totalling more than $1.1 million in New Zealand to support local community groups. We’re incredibly proud of the work the Harcourts Foundation and its many supporters are doing to help to change lives and make dreams come true.

Through the Harcourts Foundation we support The Hospice NZ Grants programme; which provides all member hospices with the opportunity to purchase much needed equipment. Every donation to the grants fund directly supports Hospices from the far North to the deep South to continue their work, enabling people to live every moment in whatever way is important to them, and Plunket; the largest provider of free support services for the development, health and wellbeing of children under five in New Zealand, with 250,000 children enrolled aged 0 - 5 and sees over 50,000 new-borns in New Zealand each year.

About Hospice NZ

Hospice NZ exists to support member hospices in their work caring for people who are dying. Hospice NZ is a national organisation whose primary goal is to give voice to the interests, views and concerns of its member hospices. The purpose of Hospice NZ is to ensure all New Zealanders have access to the best possible hospice care at the end of their lives.

www.hospice.org.nz

About Hospice

Many people think of hospice as a building, but hospice is really a philosophy of care. While most hospice services in New Zealand have inpatient facilities, the majority of people are cared for in their own homes or place of residence.

Hospice care is holistic, considering a person’s physical, emotional, social, cultural and spiritual needs, and supporting their families, whānau and carers too.

Anyone living with a life limiting condition – e.g. heart failure, motor neurone disease, MS or cancer – can access and benefit from hospice services. Hospices aim to help people make the most of their lives; to live every moment in whatever way is important to them.

Hospice care is provided free of charge to people and their families, but it does it come at a cost. Each year hospices need to raise more than $45 million nationally to support their services.

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