Hospice benefits as firm turns into 'Christmas fairies'

BUSY BEES: Fulton Hogan are helping create a garden at Hospice Wairarapa as a Christmas gesture, and to note Fulton Hogan's 80th anniversary. Pictured at front: Suzie Adamson, general manager Wairarapa Hospice, left, and Mark Large, divisional manager of Wairarapa and Manawatu Fulton Hogan, right. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

Patients visiting Hospice Wairarapa's Te Kowhai home will soon have a garden to sit in.

The first stage of the garden was built last Friday, at the hospice's day service site, thanks to Fulton Hogan.

In keeping with the Christmas spirit and as part of the infrastructure business's 80th anniversary celebrations, staff decided to help out the Wairarapa community.

"Rather than giving clients drink and gifts we decided to do something for the community instead," said Mark Large, divisional manager Wairarapa and Manawatu at Fulton Hogan.

He said the staff had split into two teams to tackle projects at the hospice on Renall St and at Solway Primary School. The team had been working since 7.30am to build a wheel-chair accessible garden and a pergola for the hospice patients to sit in.

Rigg-Zschokke, Hiremax, Hireshop and Tumu donated goods and equipment.

The Eastern and Central Community Trust also donated $4000 and landscape designer Paul Gadsby donated his time to manage the project.

"They have all come to the party," said Suzie Adamson, general manager Wairarapa Hospice.

"It's unbelievable.

"They [Fulton Hogan] have been working hard all morning, non-stop, they have been the Christmas fairies.

"This is what community is about, people giving their time and their resources to people who are going through hard times."

The hospice will start fundraising and is seeking sponsorship for the second stage of the garden to finish the pergola, do the planting, put a fountain in and create outdoor seating for patients.