case study
Try Before You Buy.
As with any project, BMCT appreciated the samples Vendella provided in the planning stages.
Rānui House & Apartments
26 May 2025
Property Name: Rānui House & Apartments (Bone Marrow Cancer Trust)
Accommodation Type: Patient & Whanāu Accommodation
Location: Christchurch
Number of Rooms: 80 Apartments
Product Supplied: DreamGreen 270gsm Duvet Inner, DreamGreen ‘Dream’ Pillow – 900g, DreamGreen Duo Plus Mattress Protector Waterproof, DreamGreen Quilted Pillow Protector – Envelope, DreamGreen Snug Quilt – Charcoal, Glide Ironing Board
“Your people are magnificent. Jim is magnificent, Crawford’s been amazing. We’re a relationship-based organisation. We deal with patients and families. So, if we can form a warm relationship, that’s going to be a long one because we don’t like to chop and change. You’ve got a lovely company and you’re well regarded. So, it was an easy decision, to be honest with you.”
MANDY KENNEDY | BONE MARROW CANCER TRUST CEO
Industry Advice.
Our account managers have been there, done that and therefore have some solid advice when it comes to the best products for the project.
Reliable Service.
Reliable service is important to us. Being able to rely on Vendella to take care of any issues in the background means less stress for everyone.
Background.
Located in the Garden City, Rānui House & Apartments, owned and managed by the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust (BMCT), provides a ‘home-away-from-home’ for families who travel to Christchurch for life-saving medical treatment. Established 32 years ago the BMCT set out to fundraise and build New Zealand’s first bone marrow transplant unit. After achieving this, the trust soon realised families needed a place to stay during the intensive treatment. So, in 1993 they built Rānui House with six apartments, soon growing to a total of 26.
Located just minutes from Christchurch Hospital, Rānui House provides families with an apartment with comfy beds, ample living space including a kitchen or kitchenette, along with an onsite carpark and generous communal spaces. As BMCT CEO, Mandy Kennedy says, “It’s designed to be the best we can be, for the families we serve, to provide them with a safe and comfortable place to stay, so that they can focus on getting well and keep their family together.”
The Project.
In 2010, already serving over 1,200 families per year, the BMCT realized the demand wasn’t going to go away – in fact it was only going to increase, so strategically purchased a block of land on which to build the Rānui Apartments. After delays over COVID and a need for funding, the building finally got underway thanks to the Shovel Ready Fund grants from the government.
Vendella has been supplying bedding to Rānui House for many years and the Trust appreciated that partnership heading into the new project. As Mandy says “We’re a relationship based organisation. We deal with patients and families. We are very relationship based. So, if we can form a warm relationship, that’s going to be a long one.”
Assisting with furnishing the new build, Crawford & Jim provided proposals and samples and worked with the team to suggest fit for purpose products for this unique project. From pillows and protectors to snug quilts, bedding was chosen for it’s comfort, durability and easy care.
How did Vendella make it easy for BMCT?
With a long-standing relationship, the BMCT appreciated the expert advice that the Vendella team brought to the table, “We knew who Vendella were, what the service was like, and the thing that we really like about your company is you aren’t shy in suggesting things.”
And of course, with any project there are deadlines and logistics to work with and our reliable service was appreciated. To quote Mandy, “What I really like about you is you can do the order and then it turns out virtually the next day. I’d like to think we’re now better organised than that, but, you know, if we do get caught short, that’s amazing.”
To find out more about Rānui House and the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust here.
