Big deals at hospice sale

Anke Hoggett-Schnebeck, manager of the Cranford Hospice Shop in Hastings.

The Bay's bargain hunters are expected to descend on the Cranford Hospice Shop in Hastings today to snap up their share of almost $30,000 worth of brand-new goods.

The goods on offer have been donated to the charity by Producto, an Auckland-based product agency.

Cranford Hospice chief executive officer Janice Byford-Jones said the charity was "thrilled" to see what was inside the cardboard boxes when the shipment arrived on Monday.

"Normally we sell secondhand clothing and household items, but this is so special," she said.

"It is all brand new, in really good condition, some of it is from the Lonely Planet."

The value of the donated goods is estimated at $25,000 to $30,000.

The Hastings shop manager Anke Hoggett-Schnebeck said most of the items on offer would be priced between $4 and $20, well below that of the recommended retail price.

"There are some real bargains to get here," she said.

"Word got out real quick that we had some good stock, and we have had to tell people that the items are not yet for sale.

"We are expecting big crowds tomorrow at 10am, and we are ready for them."

Items for sale at the pop-up shop will include sports gear, travel jackets, travel neck pillows, drink bottles and chiller bags.

Cranford Hospice is partly funded by the Hawke's Bay District Health Board.

An additional amount of $2.2 million needs to be raised each year in order to make up the deficit so that Cranford's specialist palliative care services can remain free of charge to people in the Hawke's Bay region.