Bringing Christmas cheer to Thorndon Quay began with a wonderful idea from Bev Macris, Furniture Consultant at our Wellington showroom.
Bev envisioned the Light the Tree event as a way to shine a light for children spending Christmas Day in hospital and to bring some sparkle to the Thorndon Quay shopping precinct. After a rather quiet year on the Quay, it was time to sparkle and shine. We spoke to Bev to learn more about what went into creating such a heartwarming event.
What inspired you to organise the Light The Tree event this year?
I was given the task to “organise some events” for the store. The Wellington Children’s Hospital runs Jammies in June, which is a major event for the city—that’s their annual pyjama collection, as many children arrive at hospital with no pyjamas. Our event was planned to coincide with the Wellington Hospitals Foundation’s 20th anniversary, and we came up with Light the Tree to make things brighter for the children.
How did the idea come together with Te Wāonui Child Health Services and the Wellington Hospitals Foundation?
I had a meeting with the lovely people from the Wellington Hospitals Foundation. We had held a previous function for them several years ago, so they knew we had supported them before. We also used to supply bags of fabric offcuts to the handcraft sewing ladies at the foundation. I made some suggestions for Light the Tree, and then it started to build from there.
How did the evening go—any special moments that stood out to you?
The evening was very positive. We had three Wellington City Council councillors and the new Wellington Mayor in the store all at once—that’s remarkable for a retail store in the city! It was such fun to have a pop-up book stall and art gallery in the store, along with a cheese stall and a bakery stand.
Why is this cause so close to your heart?
Wellington Children’s Hospital is a vital part of the city. We are extremely fortunate that a private donation of $50 million was given to build a new hospital for the children. Collecting 25 boxes of gifts for the children seems rather minimal compared to that. The hospital treats or admits 87,000 children a year and covers an area from New Plymouth over to Gisborne and down to Nelson—so that’s a lot of children away from home. And “children” means from newborn to 16 years old.
The Light the Tree event was a resounding success, bringing warmth and festive cheer to Thorndon Quay and the children in hospital. From the incredible community support to the generosity shown for children spending Christmas in hospital, the evening truly sparkled. Thanks to the hard work of our Wellington team, and the collaboration with Wellington Hospitals Foundation and Te Wāonui Child Health Services, this initiative reminds us of the power of coming together for a cause that matters. Here’s to making this Christmas brighter for every child spending their Christmas in hospital.