Mayor Rachel Reese with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Dr Jodie Battley

Board chair John Peters with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

Mayor Rachel Reese, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

Singers from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Tuia te Matangi

All moved and opened

7 May 2019

Our new hospice is fully operational and – as of May 2 – officially opened.

We were delighted to have the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern unveil the plaque on the new building, alongside board chair John Peters, Dr Jodie Battley and chief executive Frans Dellebeke.

Many thanks to the other community representatives and donors who attended. We wish we could have invited more people; the sentiment oft-repeated on the day was that it truly is a facility for the community and by the community.

We were grateful to be able to welcome along the family of our cornerstone donor (Daniel O’Brien) – Daniel’s sister Betty Drumm from Auckland, and nephew Greg Drumm and niece Alison Swift from Melbourne. Daniel, who was briefly on service before his death in 2016, made a significant bequest of $4.2 million. That gift gave peace of mind to those involved in the planning of the new facility, and allowed the building to be as beautiful as it is.

Thanks to Karl from Pro Motion Media for taking the photos you see here.

Please click on the below link to read more from the Nelson Mail about Daniel O’Brien’s bequest.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/112357070/benefactors-stunningly-generous-donation-towards-nelsons-115m-hospice