It was a mid-winter Christmas for the Rotorua Hospital Children's Unit when it received $3000 worth of toys and equipment from The Warehouse this week.
The Warehouse Rotorua store manager Sally Rison said there was money available through their local donation fund, which had built up over several months, and the children's unit was the chosen beneficiary.
"We wanted to see our community benefit and saw a need here. It's lovely to see it can make such a big difference. It's great to see the excitement on the children's faces," she said.
Staff from the children's unit went to The Warehouse to pick out the toys, ensuring everyone from babies to teenagers would benefit from the donation. Children's Unit clinical nurse manager Bridget Wilson said staff were overwhelmed by the generosity.
"There are loads of toys which can be used as a distraction for children having an invasive procedure which may be unpleasant or uncomfortable. Teenagers will benefit too from items off their wish list, to make time in hospital a little more bearable. It's wonderful. We are so, so lucky and we are so thankful to The Warehouse and its staff for thinking of us."