Xmas Cakes Help Hospice

Photo: AMELIA JACOBSEN
From left: Mercy Hospice Auckland fundraising database administrator Lesley Cranston, Mercy Radiology administration manager Jane Bennett and The Great New Zealand Christmas Cake Company owner Hannah Hutton are hoping Christmas cake sales will raise good money for Hospice.

Christmas may still be months away but now is the time to order cakes that taste good and help hospice. That’s the message from Mercy Hospice and the Great New Zealand Christmas Cake Company.

The cake company has been hand crafting thousands of baked goodies based on a good old tried and tested family recipe for the past 18 years. They’ve even had one of their cakes sent to the Queen, says owner and sales manager Hannah Hutton. Their cakes head to more than 25 countries around the world but Mrs Hutton says a part of their work they love the most is very close to home.

"For the past 12 years we have had a wonderful partnership with Mercy Hospice Auckland."

"They take orders from Hospice supporters for Christmas baked goodies and we provide them with a significant donation from each order to support the Hospice." Mercy Hospice chief executive Jan Nichols says more than 6000 Christmas cakes have been sold, bringing in much-needed funds to the Hospice.

"Mercy Hospice Auckland needs to raise $2 million net each year to continue to keep its services operating," Ms Nichols says. "That is the equivalent of $5479 each day from the community with the remainder from the government through district health board contracts."

Some of the hospice’s greatest support comes from corporates who are looking for Christmas gifts for their staff, suppliers and customers. "Mercy Radiology is one such corporate that over the years has purchased more than 2000 cakes from us. "We are indebted to the community for this sort of support. It is fantastic," Ms Nichols says.

Sharon Thomas from Mercy Radiology says a cake is the perfect gift for customers because it’s something their whole practice can share, plus it is in keeping with the spirit of giving at Christmas.

Ideally orders need to be placed by the end of October.

For more information or to download an order form, go to our Gifts page or call Lesley Cranston on 361-5966.