September opening for new Hospice Tairāwhiti shop in Gisborne

Work is continuing to prepare the new hospice charity store on the corner of Gladstone Rd and Peel St, and Hospice Tairāwhiti expects to have it open sometime in September. Photo / Murray Robertson

The new Hospice Tairāwhiti charity shop will open its doors at its new location at the Gladstone Rd/Peel St corner in September.

Work continues refurbishing the new premises, while some stock has already been moved from the current premises further along Peel St.

Hospice Tairāwhiti chief executive Barbara Grout said staff and volunteers had working bees to get the new location ready for renovation.

“The new premises has had extensive internal renovations, including, painting, flooring, lighting, security and data systems, and our landlord undertook additional earthquake-strengthening.”

Hospice has had a team working on the move, including the board, the chief executive and shop manager.

“We’ve worked with Gisborne District Council regarding compliance and negotiating a short-term car park to drop off donated goods to the shop,” Grout said.

“We are continuing to accept donations at the current shop but can no longer take large furniture items.

“Prior to the opening, the shop will be closed for a short period of time while we move essential fixtures and fittings from one site to the other.

“It is hoped the new main street location will not only generate an increase in donations and sales, raising essential funds to keep hospice services free in Tairāwhiti, but will also make hospice more visible to the community,” she said.

“With such a prominent location it can only increase awareness of hospice and gives us further opportunities to inform the community on what hospice does and how people can get involved.”