Managing a life-limiting illness can be stressful. Anyone who’s been through the experience will understand. It’s emotionally and physically draining, and sometimes everybody just needs a break. Hospice Waikato provides physical, social, emotional and spiritual support to whanau, friends and family. That means being open to new ideas to ‘be there’ for patients and carers alike. Drum roll please. Introducing…the drinks trolley! Stocked with beer, wines and soft drinks, the trolley will soon be doing the rounds of hospice’s in-patient unit twice a day. The concept has been running at Auckland’s Mercy Hospice for a while now, proving its worth as a conversation starter between patients and loved ones. Funded through Gallagher Group and run under the careful stewardship of designated Hospice Waikato volunteers, it’s an ideal way for everyone to enjoy a tipple, relax and recharge together. In the words of Gallagher Group’s Margaret Comer, “The drinks trolley is a great example of how relatively small things can make a big difference to people’s overall experiences.” Good on you Gallagher. Cheers to that.
News
Jolly trolley
Blokes fight back (well, sort of)
It’s a fact women have had things their way for far too long. At least when it comes to charity stores. When did you ever see a charity store with things that actually interest men? Plenty of blouses, doilies, shoes, china, nicknacks and old women’s mags, of course. But a shop full of tools, old mowers, bits of furniture, gardening stuff and bicycles? Not on your Nellie. Until now, that is. Welcome to the Hospice Waikato Five Cross Roads store: the new charity store specialising in, well, men’s stuff! Handily located on Peachgrove Rd opposite McDonald’s, it opens this week. Each week hospice receives truck loads of stuff from generous people all around the Waikato. It’s sorted, tidied and sent out to one of hospice’s six stores for resale. Now, really obviously blokey things will go straight to the Five Cross Roads shop. Lawnmower parts, broken gramophones, beer coaster collections, biographies of rugby players, fishing rods, Raleigh 20s, spider collections: you name it. There’ll even be blokey volunteers out the back to repair broken things before they’re put out for sale. Hospice spokeswoman Rosemary Poole said the new store will make better use of donated goods by targeting them directly at men; earn more income for the stores overall. “This year hospice needs to raise $2 million to fully provide our services throughout the region. Hospice shops play a major role and we’re hoping for big things from the new store.” She declined to say whether she would be regularly shopping there herself.
Hospice Five Cross Roads store 242 Peachgrove Rd, Hamilton
Mon to Fri 10am-4pm, Sat 10am–2pm
Becoming a volunteer
Volunteer gardeners, from left, Kay Jennings, Glennys Brown and Marian Kingham.
What makes a good volunteer?
Hospice Waikato volunteer service manager Karen Mansfield believes it’s a combination of empathy, enthusiasm and life experience. “It’s amazing how often somewhere along their path, hospice has helped with a grandparent, a father or mother,” she said. In every other respect, Hospice Waikato volunteers are a diverse lot, coming from every walk of life. Two recent examples: a semi-retired businessman who wanted to give something back to the community. And, at the other end of the scale, a parent volunteering their son to mow lawns. Karen says Rotary and Women’s Institute are big helpers. So are new immigrants. “It’s a foot in the door, something to put on their CV.” Another common story is ‘I’ve just retired and I want to keep busy. How can I help?’. “Last year we advertised on Student Job Search and got lots of volunteers to work in our hospice stores. They just add a different mix,” Karen said. Not all volunteers wish to work with patients. “There’s plenty of other work to go around; we’ll find a role that works. When people come on board we do like to have some sort of commitment – at least six months.” Hospice is currently looking for volunteers in the Putaruru and Tokoroa area. “The people I’m looking for are patient contacts; people to sit with patients, people to write their life stories. People with empathy, who can sit quietly and listen.” There’s also a shortage of men in patient care. “Understandably, some men tell us they’d rather have a bloke sit with them than a female.”
By Jeff Howell.
If you’re interested in taking the first step to volunteering, call Karen for a chat and an introductory brochure.
Karen Mansfield Manager of Volunteering Services Ph 07 859-3832 email karen@hospicewaikato.org.nz
Hospice Waikato – Summer 2013
The meteoric rise to stardom for Hamilton-born and raised singer-songwriter Kimbra has been closely watched by a special group of Waikato fans.
The Grammy Award-winning singer is a “friend and supporter” of Rainbow Place – a facility that provides specialised support for children and young people experiencing change, loss and grief around serious illness or the death of a family member.
Late last year Kimbra officially opened a new teenage space at the facility.
“It is a place that actually nurtures long-term support for families and children dealing with death and illness,” she said. “They are focused on creating real relationships and trust – a place where people can open up with proper networks and support.
“It’s a need I hadn’t thought of much until I visited Rainbow Place, but I now see it to be a really important part of development for young people especially.”
Last week Kimbra took time out from recording her second album in Los Angeles to speak with the Waikato Times about the past few months that culminated in her Grammy success.
“I have to remind myself that it’s only been a few days since I was up on stage being acknowledged by Prince – it feels like some kind of strange dream you think up and tell a friend as a joke.”
But it wasn’t a joke. It was the kind of success that has seen the Waikato girl recognised as an international star – and the kind of mentor that young people battling life-threatening conditions can draw inspiration from, according to Rainbow Place chief executive Craig Tamblyn.
“The teenagers who were able to come and meet Kimbra at Rainbow Place were blown away that someone as famous as Kimbra would take the time to visit them,” he said. “It gave them a tremendous morale boost and made their day.”
For Kimbra, spending time with the teens was equally rewarding.
“The Waikato has been a big part of my life and I feel passionate about supporting the community they have created [at Rainbow Place].
“I have known people facing terminal illnesses myself and also people who have lost a parent or child to such causes and it is a situation that affects so many and calls for great support.”
She said her visit revealed an amazing environment that was not just about short-term solutions.
“It feels like a place where you can nest and feel safe,” she said.
At the end of January, Rainbow Place had 291 clients, including 18 sick children and young people and 233 grieving children and young people aged from babies to 19, along with 40 parents and caregivers.
Mr Tamblyn said there were many misconceptions about the services it provides. “Rainbow Place is not just there to support around a cancer diagnosis,” he said. “We support children, young people and their families who are affected by any serious illness or health condition.”
As for their next visit from Kimbra, they may have to wait till the end of the year when she hopes to return home ahead of the release of her second album.
- © Fairfax NZ News
© Cambridge Edition – article warning the community to be wary of anyone not wearing our offical vests
We are looking for stock
If you would like to donate for our new shop or for us to collect items please call 0800HOSPICE or (07) 859 1260
Hospice Waikato Newsletter
Hospice Waikato Appoints New Chief Executive
The Board of the Waikato Community Hospice Trust are delighted to announce the appointment of Craig Tamblyn as the new Chief Executive of Hospice Waikato and Rainbow Place , replacing long time respected CEO Elizabeth Bang who is retiring in June
For the last six years Craig has held the senior position as General Manager of the Palliative Care Council and Cancer Control New Zealand based in Wellington, and prior to that was New Zealand National Manager of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry .
He has also held a number of other senior health positions from clinical to national management including senior positions with Capital Primary Health , and Capital and Coast District Health
In these positions Craig demonstrated leadership and the ability to balance a strategic and operational focus and managing changes with government agencies and the non-government sector . These included working with Hospice and primary Care providers in Wellington and implementing training between the hospital and Hospice nurses
Craig holds an MBA , a Bachelor of Business Studies with focus in Health Service Management and is a Comprehensive Registered Nurse . He is married with three adult children , and will be relocating to Hamilton when he takes up the position in June
Craig indicated a priority will be getting to know all Hospice staff , the huge number of key sponsors , benefactors supporters and volunteers and also other key stakeholders of Hospice Waikato and Rainbow Place
The Board was delighted with the extremely high calibre of applicants . To attract someone of Craig’s experience was indeed confirmation of the esteem of which Hospice Waikato and Rainbow Place are held
Craig’s health experience, and proven leadership skills combined with a natural enthusiast nature will be fantastic for the organisation building on significant recent achievements and continues to deliver our aim of providing exceptional service to the region
