- By Kerry Lee, of Franklin Times
A temporary donation centre has been set up following the suspected arson of the distribution centre for Tōtara Hospice.
Tina McCafferty, the Tōtara Hospice chief executive, got a call just after 2am last Wednesday, August 27, saying the police and fire service were at the Takanini store.
There had been extensive fire damage to the distribution centre on Great South Road.
“They closed off the road. There was a number of trucks; 28 firemen, I think,” she says.
“It was extensive, and when it came down to it the police and fire investigators treated it as suspicious and arrested someone.
“The shop that sits at the front didn’t burn down, but it’s been damaged from smoke and odour. There is nothing left of the distribution centre,” says McCafferty.
At the time of the fire, no staff or volunteers were on site, and no one was hurt.
A temporary Tōtara Hospice donation centre is now open at 42A Ben Lomond Crescent in Pakuranga.
Tōtara Hospice says it welcomes any donations of good quality clothing and homeware to help replenish what was lost and continue its vital work in the community.
Furniture donations are also being accepted, and collections can be arranged by calling 09 297 7550.
“We’re lucky in the fact that we’ve got a resilient staff who are really committed to the work of the hospice,” says McCafferty.
“They were devastated that such an important part of our organisation has literally ‘gone up in smoke’.
“They were upset that it could happen, and that was made worse by the fact that someone could do that.
“The staff, including the volunteers understand how important the work in the shops is, and in keeping the doors of care open.
“So, they were worried about how it would affect the organisation and our ability to keep caring for people.”
The Takanini shop may be closed for several months depending on the outcome of an investigation led by insurers and fire investigators, says McCafferty.
Safety at the site may be deemed uninhabitable requiring Tōtara Hospice to move to another site nearby.
“The community has really connected to the hospice and firstly they wanted to know if anyone was hurt, and the next thing the community asked was ‘what can we do to help?’
“We’ve had so many phone calls, texts, letters and emails. They’ve asked us if they have items to donate would that be helpful, and of course we’ve said yes.”
Times Media, publishers of the Franklin Times and Eastern Times, is donating $1000 to Tōtara Hospice and owner Bo Burns is urging all local businesses to match its donation to help.
“If we had 300 businesses donate $1000 each this will go a long way for our much-loved Tōtara Hospice,” says Burns.
In the meantime, people can continue supporting by visiting hospice charity stores in Manurewa, Howick, and Botany, McCafferty says.
“People have just been fantastic, our retail stores need to make over $1.5 million a year to ensure our hospice care keeps happening, because the contracts that we get from the
Government by no means cover the costs of providing for that care.
“We are almost a $15m cost business, and the shops are an important part of that,” says McCafferty.
- If anyone has information about the fire at the Tōtara Hospice distribution centre and store at Takanini they can call police on 105, or Crime Stoppers on free phone 0800 555 111.
- If anyone wants to donate to the hospice, visit https://hospice.co.nz/simple-ways-to-give/.
