Hanmer residents gift two new wheelchairs to health centre

A giant cheque for two thousand dollars was among items presented to the Practice Manager of the Hanmer Springs Health Centre this week. Other items included resources for the local Community Car which assists elderly patients.

The “Cheque” was made out to the Centre & represented a recent fundraising effort by the community after an appeal was made for much needed medical resources for elderly patients attending at medical consultations & clinics.

A local resident Kev Loughlin & the General Manager of the historic Hanmer Springs Hotel Simon Jackson commissioned the Cathy Irons String Quartet to perform Vivaldi’s popular Classical Masterpiece “The Four Seasons” to assist the cause.

More than 100 residents attended the performance & gave the Quartet a standing ovation. The charity event was held on Sunday 12 May 2024 aka as “Mother’s Day”.

It was the first time in the 100-year history of the Ballroom in the Hanmer Springs Hotel that a Classical Music Quartet had performed in the iconic Spanish architecture building. The Quartet rated the quality of the acoustics in Ballroom as superb.

Hotel General Manager Simon Jackson said “having such a concert in the Ballroom was a new challenge & direction for all the staff, but it has proved a huge success. Its now likely other similar events will be held. It’s already popular. It’s rapidly establishing itself as an ideal venue here in the Village for live entertainment.”

“NZ singer/songwriter Mel Parsons is scheduled for a Concert in the Ballroom in early October, & other prestigious events are also booked through until Christmas” he said.

Hanmer Springs Health Centre Practice Manager Paul Walmsley expressed his gratitude, saying, “The presentation of the two new wheelchairs is a tremendous outcome as the number of elderly residents in the Alpine Village is rapidly increasing.

“Thanks to the overall generosity of local residents, tourists, home owners & the business sector we can now offer better support to our elderly in Hanmer. These new wheelchairs will be available for use by elderly patients, the numerous disabled visitors who come here, & all of our elder residents.

Project Manager Kev Loughlin thanked all those who attended the performance. “The Cathy Irons String Quartet firmly cemented their status in our local community with their highly professional performance. They oozed charisma & were well rewarded with a standing ovation. Their overall contribution to the success of this fund-raising project was immense,” he said.

Paul Walmsley mentioned that the two wheelchairs were purchased from More Mobility in Christchurch. “One wheelchair was chosen for its lightweight, foldable design, making it compact enough to fit into the small community car.”

“The second wheelchair was selected to give all users the option of self-propelling themselves, or receiving assistance from someone such as an aide. The old wheelchairs will remain at the Clinic to accommodate any future increase in patient needs. We just might need another one soon, “he said.