Our Christmas
I think that everyone should do some volunteering. It helps you think about other people and it’s so rewarding.
role of coordinator of the annual Hospice Community Trees of Remembrance Nelsonis is blessed thousands Nelson blessed withwith thousands of project alongside Adrienne Hill, and volunteers helping groupsgroups throughout thecontinued to do so until this year, despite of volunteers helping year, but as it’sthe Christmas, Adrienne leaving the CE role eight years ago. throughout year, but as it’s Matthews
tracked downJudene three people give up their Christmas, Edgarwho tracked “My husband died as a patient of time to make the festive season a little more Hospice which is why I’ve wanted to down three people who give up special for local families. keep involved,” she says.
their time to make the festive season a little more special for TESS JAINE local families.
“While I’ve passed on the organising mantle after 20 years, I love working alongside all of the amazing volunteers.”
“There are some incredibly special people.” People can leave messages of love and remembrance for family and friends on the trees with all money raised going towards providing support at home, care facilities and in-patient hospice care. “It’s not just the ability to place a tribute card on the tree, but for many people it’s the opportunity to talk to the volunteers,” she says.
“People expect you to have stopped This year a team of 136, ranging from grieving and moved on, but it’s not that 20 to 89 years of age, have volunteered. Pat Curry doesn’t think of herself as a simple. This is an opportunity for people The volunteers are rostered on t takes a special kind of person to be a Father Christmas. volunteer, she just likes “giving back”. Shane Hamilton is preparing forgrieve.” his favourite to share, remember and at the three community tree They have had to commit weeks to intense training at time of year as Father Christmas. It all started when she was studying locations — Richmond Mall, Stoke New the Father Christmas, Reindeer and Elf Training University She says that it’s also a great opportunity in Nelson at age 17 and World and Nelson Hospice Shop — from atnursing the North Pole. While there theythe work hard to graduate for people to find out more about what branch of the New Zealand inlocal subjects as diverse as: How to keep their legs crossed Friday 4 December to Friday 11 December Hospice does, in particular that it isn’t (because there is no time tolooking go to the there Nurses Organisation was forbathroom when between 10am and 4pm daily. or older people — it’s isaastudent long queue of children ahead), how to turn a screaming The smilejust onabout thecancer children’s representative. Pat says that each year she continues all about family. child into a laughing one, how to navigate scrolls of health “I saw the need for student voices to when they saw me to be overwhelmed by the supportfaces and and safety requirements for all concerned including reindeer “I think that everyone should do some be represented,” she says. generosity of the volunteers. was completely magical and how to survive in temperatures that would make a camel volunteering,” she says. a voice to others is a key theme “I love working with the volunteers and inGiving the desert question his very existence. and intoxicating. “It helps you think about other people behind much of Pat’s volunteering, chatting to them and getting to know There is nothing comfortable about being Father Christmas whether it’s for children, parents, and it’s so rewarding.” them,” she says. but the rewards far exceed the difficulties as local man patients, families, or older people. Shane Hamilton can testify. Shane is a firm believer that When her eldest childan joined “children need to have imagination and never lose the One of the common questions children ask is ‘are you really ability be a child.” she set up the Stoketo Kindergarten, Father Christmas?’ “I carefully explain that in the hearts and kindergarten’s first parent committee. Ten years ago his wife was involved in a playgroup that needed minds of girls and boys all around the world Father Christmas As her children grew, her volunteering a Father Christmas for the end of year party. I thought about it is very real indeed.” extended. She joined the Tahunanui and realised that I definitely had the build for it,” he says. Kitted Primary School Trustees and out in a Santa suit Board he wasof ready to roll. “It was a complete “Many children tell me that they want a new puppy,” he says. then Broadgreen revelation,” he says. Intermediate “The smile onBoard the children’s faces when “I have to explain about the disaster that happened a few of Trustees. they saw me was completely magical and intoxicating. It is years back in my Christmas workshop. Myself and the elves something you that nevershe ever get tired of. There is so much gloom tried really hard to make a dog but it didn’t go too well and A key project fondly remembers and doom about,with especially during these Covid times and it is ended up half dog, half cat - a CatDog. After that we decided being involved was cycle safety. wonderful if you can bring a smile and some Christmas joy for to stick to toys. Live things are just too hard to make in this of kids that is foremost,” says. for years.” a “Safety few moments will make she memories part of the world.”
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“We ran education sessions Tahunanui When Shane embarked on his at Father Christmas career his School and College the youngest sonNayland wasn’t even born.with As he grew up it was a bit Police and campaigned to make up helmets hard to explain why I was dressing in the big red suit. I just compulsory for that school kids.” explained to him Father Christmas was so busy at the North Pole that he needed helpers everywhere else to help She has also gone on to be a trustee of him out.” Nelson Bays Primary Health, and on the committees of Abbeyfield Nelson and Abbeyfield Mata Close. In 1998 Pat became the Chief Executive of Nelson Tasman Hospice. In addition to this, in 2000 she took on the voluntary
As a minister in a local church mainly working with children and a busy night job at Nelson Hospital, Shane has his hands full but nothing gives him more pleasure than seeing the joy on a child’s face when they see his big red suit with beard and beaming smile. “I am always ready to step up when needed,” he says.
15 For the last 20 years, Pat Curry and voluntarily worked as coordinator of the annual Hospice Community Trees of Remembrance.
