ODD RACE: South Taranaki Hospice volunteer co-ordinator Karen Scott and Clegg's Funeral Services funeral director and embalmer Glenn Rogers, front, are preparing for the great hearse caper. South Taranaki Hospice committee member Margaret Robinson-Davies and Clegg's staff member Susan Clegg watch on.

South Taranaki's hospice service will receive a much-needed cash injection after a novel new fundraiser rolls into town this month.

The "great hearse caper" will make its way through Hawera on Thursday, February 12 in a bid to raise as much money as possible for the charity that supports palliative care in Taranaki.

Cleggs Funeral Services funeral director Glenn Rogers said the event was a nationwide baton relay driven by the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand.

"Instead of a running or walking baton relay, we are actually doing it in our hearses."

In South Taranaki, Cleggs will host a lunch and fundraiser at noon before driving the hearse slowly through Hawera's main street.

Volunteers will walk the streets at the same time with collection buckets. After that, Rogers will be driving the baton to its next location for the handover.

"It's just something that's a little bit different and a little bit fun."

Rogers said supporting the hospice felt like a natural development for funeral directors, as the two groups had strong links.

"As somebody who works in the funeral industry, I would like to think that all my clients have the opportunity to pass away how they want, and on their terms, whether that be at home or in a hospice situation.

"When it comes to death, the key is, do it your way."

South Taranaki Hospice volunteer co-ordinator Karen Scott said that was the palliative care group's motto.

However, she added that providing patients who had life-limiting illnesses with the support and care they needed didn't come cheaply.

The hospice will need $1.7 million this year just to fund its operation.

"In Taranaki alone, that enables [the] hospice to provide free palliative care to anybody that requires it," Scott said.

"That's a huge sum of money that we have to raise. Every year."