IT'S Hospice Awareness Week next week, and the volunteers are celebrating with cakes.
A stall full of them in fact, for sale on Thursday outside the shop in Broadway.
The awareness week runs from May 16-22 and shoppers at Stratford New World can add $1 to their grocery total as a donation
for hospice during the week.
Last year the supermarket and its shoppers raised $3000 through this initiative.
``We even beat Hawera and New Plymouth New Worlds,'' says Irene, who is a volunteer.
Hospice provides palliative care for patients with terminal illness including cancer.
In Stratford and central Taranaki area at present there are 18 people receiving hospice care, which is an increase of 10 per cent on last year, she says.
The Stratford Hospice Shop is one of three in the province which raise money for the hospice.
It's entirely staffed by volunteers _ 46 at present _ and more are always needed, says Irene. The shop is also always looking for donations of clean and well presented goods; clothing, bric a brac and small furniture items, knitting and books.
The shop has a talented team of knitters who produce beautiful hand-knitted items for the shop using donated wool.
``We're always looking for volunteers. If you are interested, make yourself known at the shop when it is open,'' she says.
