Farmers Christmas Campaign Raises Over $1 Million for Hospices, Supporting Nelson Tasman Hospice with $30,000

Hospices across the country have been overwhelmed by the generous support of Farmers stores and their customers this Christmas season. The annual Farmers Christmas Campaign raised over $1,000,000 for hospices nationwide, continuing over a decade of strong support from Farmers staff and shoppers.

Nelson Tasman Hospice received $30,702.94 from the campaign, thanks to sales of a limited-edition bauble and donations made by customers who wrote messages to loved ones on the in-store “Trees of Remembrance” at Farmers Nelson and Farmers Richmond. The funds were collected between November 14 and December 24, 2024.

Nelson Tasman Hospice are very grateful for the continued support of the Farmers teams.  The staff feel connected to the work that they do, and the dedication across both local stores is appreciated. To have achieved this all at their busiest time of the year is truly amazing.

Alongside the Farmers campaign, the “Community Trees of Remembrance” initiative was also held. Run entirely by volunteers, it brought together community groups and individuals to help people honour loved ones while supporting Nelson Tasman Hospice. This fundraiser, which has been running for over 30 years, was held over a shorter three-day period this year at five locations, compared to 8 days last year.

Rachel Lake, Supporter Engagement Lead at Nelson Tasman Hospice, explained the change:
“We noticed over the years a significant drop in funds raised and engagement through the community stands with less people carrying cash to donate. Our tap and donate machines helped cover some of these funds but haven’t bridged the gap completely. We know the importance of Trees of Remembrance and enabling the community to write messages in memory of someone they care about and will continue to honour this tradition by focusing on these three days.”

Despite the reduced campaign length, $4,695.00 was raised across Nelson, Stoke, Richmond, and Motueka. This brought the total for both Trees of Remembrance campaigns to $35,397.94.

Nelson Tasman Hospice must raise $3.5M annually to provide specialist palliative care to over 210 patients each month in the Nelson Tasman community. The funds raised not only help reduce the funding shortfall but also increase awareness of the vital work the hospice does.

The hospice is deeply grateful to Farmers staff, customers, community groups, volunteers, and everyone who supported the Trees of Remembrance during the busy festive season. As we do every year, the tags with messages for loved ones will be blessed and cremated in a special service, with the ashes spread in the hospice gardens.