Farmers store getting in festive spirit to raise money for Hospice Whanganui

Santa with (from right) Farmers employees Karen Matthews and Grace Souness, Hospice Whanganui's Kelly Scarrow, Farmers store manager Samantha Millward and event caterer Zahid Mohammed. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui's Christmas parade is long since cancelled but the central city can still expect some festive cheer this week.

The Whanganui Community Choir will perform carols outside the Farmers store on Thursday night, with food truck operators joining the celebrations in the car park and in the Maria Place pop-up space across the road.

The store will stay open until 9pm and manager Samantha Millward said staff would collect money for Hospice Whanganui throughout the evening.

"I know they have lost a lot of channels of donation, so anything we can do to get behind them and create a bit of a buzz would be fantastic," Millward said.

"We are lucky in New Zealand that we have a community with people like Hospice to turn to.

"Hospice were there through both my parents passing and they were incredible because, the first time out of the gate, you don't know what to do."

Hospice Whanganui's Kelly Scarrow said Farmers was a huge supporter of its set-up.

Santa Claus getting warmed up for Thursday night with the help of 7-year-old Elijah Hampton. Photo / Bevan Conley

"We do a remembrance tree with them and we also do a Christmas decoration that sells out every year.

"Because of the Covid environment we wanted to create a little bit of Christmas energy and hopefully raise some money while people are perusing the goods at Farmers.

"We're really encouraging people to come out, do their last-minute shopping, and to support our organisation."

Covid-19 restrictions had resulted in Hospice shops taking "a bit of a hit" over the last few months, Scarrow said.

"We have to access about 55 per cent of our funding through our community, and we would like to thank them for their ongoing, generous support throughout this pretty interesting year."

Millward said 100 per cent of the donations would go directly to Hospice Whanganui.

"If you give $10, then $10 goes straight to them.

"We've had some spectacular donations, but every little bit helps. If every single person gave 50 cents or a dollar, that would be amazing."

Festivities on Thursday run from 5pm to 9pm.