Otago Community Hospice

21/01/2026

A very good article by The Spinoff about the value of hospice care https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/19-01-2026/how-we-die-inside-new-zealands-looming-crisis-in-palliative-care

30/12/2025

A SPECIAL BLANKET FOR THOSE AT THE END OF LIFE. A special hand-woven blanket was presented to Otago Community Hospice by local weaver, Christine Keller. Designed to capture the essence of our service, it will be placed over patients who have died in the Inpatient Unit as they leave the building.
“It is a very emotional time for whānau and this is a small way we can honour that moment, and the journey they and their loved ones have been on”, says CEO, Ginny Green.
The blanket’s colours and design draw inspiration from the three rivers that flow through the Otago Community Hospice service region — the Waitaki, the Taiari (Taieri) and the Mata-au (Clutha) — and the riverbanks that embrace them.
“Hospice care is very like the riverbanks," says Ginny, "holding and supporting patients and whānau through their time of dying,”
Woven through the fabric are multi-coloured vertical threads, representing each patient’s unique journey through life, and through their time with Hospice. The threads running across the fabric bind the piece together, both practically and symbolically. A band of yellow near the top represents the kōwhai - the national symbol of Hospice.
The design is deeply rooted in the holistic wrap-around care that the Otago Community Hospice offers, while the fabric is washable, hard wearing and practical.
"It's a perfect mix," says Ginny, “as hospice services are a balance between the empathy, kindness and compassion the team brings, and the professional, practical solutions that help patients and whānau navigate their journey."
Christine's studio is just down the road from the Hospice’s Inpatient Unit, in the Valley Community Workspace. As well as doing special commissions like this blanket, Christine also runs weaving classes.
“The Valley have always embraced what we do here at Hospice so it was only fitting we worked with a local designer to create this very special blanket“, says Ginny.
After seeing, touching, and admiring the blanket, Inpatient Unit staff expressed how much they looked forward to offering it to whānau. Many were also inspired to enroll in Christine’s classes themselves — keen to weave their own meaningful blankets.

17/12/2025

AMAZING JOB OPPORTUNITY - The Te Waipounamu Hospice Collaborative is seeking an exceptional leader to help shape the future of hospice across the South Island by bringing together the hospice services of the Te Waipounamu to guide meaningful regional collaboration, strengthen shared capability, and ensure patients and whānau receive high-quality, consistent care no matter where they live. This is a rare opportunity to influence hospice care at a systems level. To apply go to https://www.seek.co.nz/jobs-in-healthcare-medical/in-Dunedin-Otago?jobId=89182771&type=standard or visit our website https://otagohospice.elmotalent.co.nz/careers/careers-1765910325/job/view/82

17/12/2025

Ken and Jean Schumacher, organisers of the annual Otago Community Hospice Charity Cruise & Car Show , dropped in a donation of over $11.5k, raised by the 23rd of November Cruise held this year! The event, now in its 16th year, is held at Hancock Park in Dunedin. The event's $10 entry fee goes directly to Hospice - with over 150 packs of biscuits also donated for our Hospice Shop volunteers! A big thank to our Hospice volunteers, who were on the gate and of course Ken - the driving force behind this iconic Dunedin Event. 🍪🚗🩷❤❤

11/12/2025

Together we make a difference
When you decorate the tree this year, one extra bauble makes a big difference. Support Hospice with a special Christmas bauble, still available at Farmers while stocks last. All money from baubles bought in the Dunedin and Oamaru Farmers stores goes directly to Otago Community Hospice.

04/12/2025

A big thanks to all the line dancers in the Dunedin 60 Plus Club who raised $300 for Otago Community Hospice 🧡🧡🧡

04/12/2025

The Octagon Chapter of BNI is incredibly proud to support the ! This month, our members came together to collect gifts and supplies to help make the Hospice’s Christmas events and inpatient experience extra special.

It’s an honour to give back to an organisation that brings so much care, comfort, and compassion to our community.

Thank you to everyone in our chapter who contributed — your generosity truly makes a difference!

25/11/2025

24/11/2025

The 2025 Edinburgh Realty - Commercial Women’s Golf Tournament was a HUGE success. ⛳ So many women came out to play.🏌️‍♀️The Otago Golf Club put on a great event (including yummy food at the prizegiving)🥟and the Otago business community donated fabulous prizes. 🥇🥈🥉Thank you to everyone involved! 💛🧡❤🩷

20/11/2025

One. Two. Three. Fore! 🏌️‍♀️Edinburgh Women’s Golf tournament ready to tee off. Otago Golf Club. Here’s hoping the rain stays away!

19/11/2025

The clinical entrance to the newly refurbished Ōamaru Hub now has a stunning kōwhai decal to greet patients and whānau. Historically the kōwhai was used for its healing properties, but for us it has a wider meaning. Like the palliative cloak, the kōwhai symbolises the holistic all encompassing care we offer across our entire hospice service - not just to patients, but also their wider whānau - and the incredible community that work with us and support us. He kōwhai manaakitanga, he kōwhai rongoā.
Note: ‘Palliative’ comes from the Greek word for cloak (korowai)