One woman’s hospice fundraiser just keeps rolling on

After Ashleigh Thompson’s mother Donna Hewitt died in the Otago Community Hospice last year, Ms Thompson decided she wanted to do something to thank the organisation for its help.

She started off thinking she might donate some body wash, but then widened her horizons and launched a cheese roll fundraiser.

Little did she know what she was getting herself into.

From initial and humble hopes that she might be able to sell 100 dozen cheese rolls and raise about $1000, Ms Thompson is on the verge of raising almost $10,000 for the hospice.

‘‘It has grown exponentially. It has been crazy,’’ she said.

‘‘It has been such a cool thing to be a part of ...

‘‘I had said when I got to 300 dozen that it was going to be over, but it wasn’t, and I thought I might be able to go to 500.’’

But wait, there’s more ... eventually Ms Thompson ended up with orders for 773 dozen cheese rolls.

Selling the cheese rolls is one thing, but now Ms Thompson has to actually make them.

On April 7 a group of volunteers will gather in Dunedin at the Kaikorai rugby club — which has provided its clubrooms for the task — and embark on the mammoth job of making the filling, spreading it on 468 loaves of bread, and then rolling them up.

‘‘Lots of people who might not necessarily have been in a position to donate have instead donated their time, which is amazing,’’ Ms Thompson said.

Quality Bakers has donated the bread to Ms Thompson, Anchor has donated milk and, along with Evansdale, cheese, to her effort.

Most gratifying of all, Oceana Gold, which had been asked for a small contribution, jumped aboard and offered to match her fundraising efforts dollar for dollar.

Other firms, notably Cooltranz, had donated time and goods, as the fundraiser exceeded Ms Thompson’s wildest dreams.

It has also spread its wings further afield and 30 dozen cheese rolls have been sponsored as a treat for vulnerable members of the community, the elderly living alone, new mothers or the unwell.

‘‘My husband is very at the stage of being over it.

‘‘He is stepping up and doing children’s bed times and bath times, while I am 100% on my phone around the clock, crazy trying to organise it all,’’ Ms Thompson said.

‘‘But it has been super-rewarding, it’s been great.’’

Otago Community Hospice chief executive Ginny Green said Ms Thompson was an absolute superstar.

The hospice recently had to cancel its major annual fundraising street appeal due to the Covid-19 alert level changes, which had left its annual funds short by about $40,000.

‘‘We were gutted about that, but Ashleigh and all the other people who have dug deep to help us out has been incredible.

‘‘We are very lucky that we have such a wonderful community,’’ Ms Green said.

mike.houlahan@odt.co.nz