Words Megan Lyon, Images Ashlee DeCaires
It’s Friday, so volunteer Ian pulls into the yard of Lake Road Hospice ready to unload his day’s collection. He loves to drive, along with Robbo, and in nine years Ian has only missed six Fridays. They often visit people who have lost their spouse and are in a downsizing phase. “They’ll tell us how well their loved one was treated at Hospice. I think for me, personally, when you’re going through that trauma then the work done by the retail and volunteer arm means it’s not such a financial burden for them.”
Hospice Waikato Manager Theresa Bidlake cherishes these items and those who have gifted them. “We like to think of our donations as having a story and we pay respect to that and take that value out to the floor.” She views the process as recycling with a purpose, which ultimately benefits the work by Hospice. Every effort is made to make good use of donations, so they are sorted, repaired and only sent to landfill as the very last resort.
At the Lake Road dispatch there are mind-blowing quantities of stuff carefully sorted in this neatly labelled labyrinth. Premium items are sent upstairs while ‘cheap and cheerful’ items are sold downstairs thrice weekly. A team of volunteers work across demarcated sections which include audio, electrical and testing tools, sports, books, furniture, linen and textiles. Here wobbly legs and missing handles are repaired and replaced to extend their life. Meanwhile linen is sorted, laundered and ironed. Teresa says, “We literally couldn’t open our stores without our volunteers. They’re priceless.”
In the online storage room Theresa exclaims, “Let me show you my favourite coat!” and runs her hand down a hefty faux fur coat by Aotearoa, New Zealand designer Trelise Cooper. “It’s just stunning isn’t it?” She reflects on the generosity of a community who gift such items and holds them in awe every day.
Volunteer Norma works downstairs three days a week across arts and crafts, toys and bric-a-brac in a behind the scenes capacity which suits her just nicely. In 2019, Drew, her husband had cancer and was put under hospice care. After he died, she thought, “Well they helped me, so I’ll volunteer and help them out. Five years later I’m still at Hospice. We have lots of fun and being a volunteer is great because you’re busy doing things.”
Upstairs in retail, Emma’s paid role also encompasses looking after a large pool of volunteers and curating the collections. Emma is also a practising artist, whose botanical landscapes feature at The Mandarin Tree Gallery in Gordonton. She has an astute eye and finds satisfaction from creating displays from a strange mixture of objects and have them looking good together. “I am tempted by beautiful items every day,” and like so many staff finds, “it’s great fun watching people get a rush when they find a gem”.
Regular customer Fraser has already been in this morning and as per his daily custom will do so at least once more. Twenty years ago, he on-sold two plastic chairs he paid $2 for $350 each as they were Italian designed. His side-line quickly became his career and he now has two warehouses bulging with treasures he describes as modern antiques, such as Scandinavian mid-century furniture. “The people at the Hospice Waikato shops are amazing. That character makes the business. The upstairs showroom is well curated with downstairs its own thing and that’s what works.”
Tracy, with daughter Martha, is doing the rounds and she’s found a treasure as noted on a handwritten list carried in her handbag. Tracy has been on a mission to find a bubble vase ever since an influencer she follows online showed her collection displayed on a windowsill catching the light. “They looked so cool, so I’ve been looking for one for months and finally found one!”
For Tracy this cycle is about sustainability, teaching about reusing things and appreciating them as well as donating herself. She names Lake Road Hospice store as her favourite because of the way the store is laid out and is in awe of the scale of its operation and of its volunteers. “It’s a whole community of people that love it!”
