Our 2025 Hospice Whanganui High Tea was nothing short of beautiful – a warm, sun-soaked Sunday filled with Christmas carols, laughter, connection, and the kind of community spirit that stays with you.
Thanks to the generosity of everyone involved, together we raised around $4,200 to support Hospice Whanganui’s free, specialist palliative care for patients and their whānau.
A day full of heart
Guests were welcomed onto our grounds with stunning weather, joyful energy, and live music from Lyall Koroheke and Jess Steele, who serenaded the garden with Christmas carols and acoustic favourites.
This year’s fancy hat competition brought colour, sparkle, and heartfelt meaning. Our Mayoress, Carolyn Nicklin, kindly stepped in as guest judge and crowned the winner – a woman who handcrafted her own Christmas-tree-themed hat, with three baubles representing three beloved people she has lost. A touching reminder of why Hospice exists, and the love people carry into our space.
Four lucky winners took home our beautiful raffle baskets – three celebrated at the event, and one received a call the next morning, telling us we had “absolutely made her day.”
A feast prepared with aroha
Our heartfelt thanks go to Fiona McIvor, Colleen Harris, and Leah (Colleen’s daughter), who poured enormous time, creativity, and energy into designing and preparing the entire High Tea menu. From planning and sourcing ingredients to cooking, plating, and coordinating the service with grace – they were the backbone of the day’s magic. A special acknowledgement to Colleen, who also donated a significant portion of the food.
Our wonderful servers – Lauren, Ruth, Bella, Mila, and Sue – stepped in beautifully, offering warm hospitality and keeping the afternoon flowing with ease.
Community support that made this event possible
We are incredibly grateful to our generous sponsors whose contributions enabled us to bring this event to life:
- The Pomegranate Sugar Kitchen – gifted stunning handcrafted Christmas cookies
- Shane Stone Builders – supported the event with a generous contribution
- Mad Media – provided digital billboard space to help us spread the word
- OrthoDocs – offered generous support towards the event
- PKF Doyles – donated to the event
- Pak’nSave Whanganui – gifted a food voucher to help supply the menu
- Harakeke Berries – donated all strawberries for our High Tea
- Tony Smith from Metalfold – donated all smoked salmon
- Dilmah – supplied the tea that warmed every cup
- Harrisons Hiremaster – supported the event by supplying essential equipment
- Thistles Sweet Shop – kindly donated a beautiful last-minute raffle basket, helping us offer four prize hampers
Your kindness was felt in every detail – from the treats on the table, to the atmosphere in the garden, to the care we are able to continue providing for patients and their whānau.
A special thank you to our wider Hospice whānau
Our long-standing volunteer Margaret, who created the stunning floral arrangements on every table – her attention to detail and love for Hospice made the space feel truly special.
Our gardeners, whose care and dedication keep our grounds looking stunning – the perfect backdrop for a summer garden celebration.
Karina, for capturing the heart of the day through her beautiful photography.
Our shop staff and volunteers, and Fiona, who lovingly gathered all the vintage teacups, teapots, tiered plates, and created the beautiful handmade cake stands – and who also worked tirelessly selling raffle tickets and sharing the event with our community.
All Hospice staff, who helped with preparations, promoted ticket sales, and supported wherever needed.
Every guest, every ticket purchaser, and everyone who bought a raffle ticket – you helped create something truly special.
And finally, our sincere thanks to Helen, Bobbie, Ria, Jen and everyone behind the scenes who wove this event together with aroha.
Looking ahead
While we’re pausing to catch our breath before planning what comes next, one thing remains true: events like this show the strength, warmth, and heart of our Whanganui community. Your support helps us continue providing specialist palliative care – free of charge – for people and whānau across our rohe.
💜 Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa.