Sewn with love
Kathryn Van Woerkom provides support for patients and their relatives as a hospital chaplain.
Recently, she has also been very busy sewing hundreds of reusable masks.
All the masks have been sewn from fabrics generously donated from Kathryn's friends, family and work colleagues.
"Many of the masks made have been gifted to churches and community groups—they then donate them to people in need," said Kathryn.
Kathryn also had many staff enquiring to buy her masks. After receiving numerous requests, she decided to sell them to staff as a fundraiser for the hospital's Dignity Trolley.
The Dignity Trolley is for patients, who are at the end of their life—and for their families—who are by their bedside.
The trolley is laden with fine china, speciality tea and coffee, and homemade baking.
Liz McCloat, an administrator in the Medical Ward, help created the Dignity Trolley.
"We know the trolley makes a huge difference during the end-stages of a patient's life," said Liz.
"The trolley helps bring some comfort to the families and friends during a very hard time."
So far Kathryn has made nearly 450 masks. Many of them have been given away to those in need, and close to 200 of them have been sold to staff and their families.
"We started selling a few on our ward but it quickly grew," said Kathryn.
"It was amazing to see all the staff and their families supporting this important service."
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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53.5% Human-centred experience and communication
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14.6% Critical thinking
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29.3% Resilience and adaptability
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2.5% Other - I will share below!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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