Funds raised by the Masterton Squash Club from their May 30 sports memorabilia auction will be used by the Hospice Wairarapa Community Trust to help provide equipment and base for hospice services in the Wairarapa region. Trust board chairman Lloyd Wilson said they were "extremely grateful" to the club for organisingthe event to raise funds for the support of those with a terminal illness in the local community. In a statement released today Mr Wilson said: "The closure of Te Omanga Hospice's Wairarapa service in 2008 means our community no longer has a hospice service or hospice volunteers in Wairarapa to assist the terminally-ill in our region. "Community consultation that followed the closure clearly endorsed the proposal to establish an inpatient hospice facility in Wairarapa and supported the initiation of a board to pursue the re-introduction of Hospice services for our region. "The Hospice Wairarapa Community Trust was formed as a registered charitable trust whose objective is the support and care of those loving with a terminal illness, helping patients to make the most of their life that remains and ensuring that they die comfortably with dignity, and to provide support and care for the family, whanau and close friends during the patient's illness and in bereavement. "The Hospice Wairarapa Community Trust has received a clear mandate from the community to develop a 3-5 bed inpatient unit for respite care and where those unable or not wishing to die at home will have a choice beyond the current options of an aged care facility or a hospital bed. "That goal will take some time to accomplish, but in the meantime we are urgently working towards establishing a hospice service where practical support can be provided in the community. Accordingly our first priority is to raise funds for equipment and a base to operate support services from including a day care centre "Part of the hospice philosophy is that services are provided free of charge to all who need it, so there is a huge ongoing need for fundraising, and this sports auction is an important part of that giving."
