A decade of donations: Lake Taupō Hospice op shop marks 10 years

Mayor David Trewavas (right) at the Lake Taupō Hospice Shop's 10-year celebrations. He is with Hospice chief executive Karlynne Earp (left) and community relations manager Ross Mortimer. Photo / NZME

It began life in a car boot, graduated to a garage in Sunset St, then finally moved to a shop at Totara Point. Since then it's grown, and grown, and grown to become one of Taupō's biggest op shops.

Now, the Lake Taupō Hospice Shop has just celebrated another milestone - 10 years of doing good.

With some 150 volunteers, the shop takes good-quality donations from the community and on-sells them, with the profits going to the work of Lake Taupō Hospice, which supports terminally ill patients and their families.

From toys to tableware, picture frames to pants, the shop sells its goods at reasonable prices. It also provides a valuable community service by providing good-quality essential items such as linen and children's clothing at low prices for people looking to save money. Another benefit is that by on-selling unwanted items, it is saving them from going to landfill.

Community relations manager Ross Mortimer says the hospice shop is literally a lifeline for the hospice service.

"The shop helps us provide care for over 100 patients and their families every month and without this shop, that just wouldn't be possible."

Ross said the community was respectful of the shop and donated only items that were in good-enough condition to be resold. Also, it was popular with bargain hunters on the lookout for treasures.

The Lake Taupō Hospice Shop at Totara Point, Taupō. Photo / File

One of the shop's volunteers, who had an eye for valuable donations, also separately listed them on Trade Me, which could raise a lot of extra money. Recently, a donated vase had fetched $750, with the auction still running.

Volunteers, hospice staff and Mayor David Trewavas all gathered at the hospice shop last Thursday evening to mark the shop's 10th birthday and the way it has grown over the years.

Shop volunteer Mia van Summeren does a shift once a week and said she loved it.

"We've got a nice group of people, it's a nice atmosphere. People that come into the shop are nice, they really appreciate it, they love the shop and it's very busy.

"People can get good stuff here for a low price, some really nice things - clothes for children, shoes, furniture. The clothes for children are so cheap that there's no need for kids to go without because they're only $1 apiece."

Lake Taupō Hospice also has a hospice shop in Tūrangi that has been running about seven years.