More than $63,000 has been raised for the Waipuna Hospice as a result of an annual Christmas appeal.

Bayfair and Tauranga Crossing Farmers store were fully behind a fundraising campaign, which saw customers purchasing a limited edition bauble and making donations to the Tree of Remembrance.

A total of $26,690.27 was raised in-store for Waipuna Hospice.

In addition to Farmers Department Stores, Waipuna Hospice also ran a community based remembrance Tree Appeal with collection sites in supermarkets, shopping centres, garden centres, and markets around the community. A further $37,292.70 was donated to the appeal.

For Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty, the total donation of $63,962.28 will enable Waipuna Hospice to continue to provide the 'best possible specialist hospice palliative care.”

100 per cent of all funds donated remain in the local community, helping ensure hospice care is provided at no cost to people with life-limiting conditions.

'We were overwhelmed at the support shown for Waipuna Hospice through the 2020 Remembrance Tree Appeal, particularly in what was an extremely hard year for many”, says Waipuna Hospice CEO, Richard Thurlow.

'The Farmers teams played a huge part in helping us achieve this excellent result, and we are humbled by the generous support of the Bayfair and Tauranga Crossing stores”.

"I also want to thank all those in our community who remembered a loved one through this appeal too. Every dollar raised from this appeal helps us help our community.”

Farmers Bayfair store manager Tim Wilson says 'as a brand, it's a pleasure to align ourselves with Waipuna Hospice again.

'It's with great pride that we support an organisation that provides so much assistance to individuals and families, in our community, when they need it most. We are also very grateful to our customers who so generously supported this campaign with their donations”.

With the campaign now over for another year, Waipuna Hospice is inviting family, whanau, and friends to their Remembrance Service on March 23 at 7pm.

A blessing of all personal messages placed on the Remembrance Trees will take place at the Waipuna Hospice Atrium.

A written statement by Waipuna Hospice says hospices throughout the country have once again been overwhelmed and humbled by the support from Farmers Department Stores.

More than $800,000 has been donated to hospice services around the country following the Remembrance Tree, marking the most successful year to date.