Cup of char just the tonic for Whanganui Hospice volunteers

Whanganui's Hospice Boutique shop manager Jo Hodder (front) presides at a morning tea for her volunteers. Photo / Bevan Conley

A bevy of Hospice Boutique volunteers raised fine china cups to tea company Dilmah in a private party at the back of their Whanganui store.

Monday's morning tea shout was a prize from the company for publicising Dilmah's relationship with the hospice movement in New Zealand.

The Whanganui store's prizewinning effort was a live mayoral morning tea in the shop's window on to Victoria Ave on October 29. It sent a 45 second video of the event to the tea company - the only videoed entry.

Hospice Whanganui operations manager Sandy McDougall said Dilmah donates teabags to Hospice staff and patients and their families, and also to Hospice shops and volunteers and their families. The teabags have mounted up to more than 9 million since 1997.

"We appreciate all the support we get from Dilmah."

The donation of tea fits with the Hospice mission.

"It always makes you feel better. If someone is upset you don't offer them a coffee or a gin and tonic. You offer them a cup of tea," McDougall said.