"Mother's Day is traditionally one of the top five trading periods of the year and our hard-hit retail and hospitality businesses need all the support they can get at the moment," Chamber CEO Bob Hawes said. "By making a conscious decision to buy from a retailer within your area, you can have the satisfaction of not only sourcing a beautiful and heartfelt gift but also knowing that you have helped out local business at a difficult time."

Mr Hawes said that while many businesses had closed due to COVID-19, they were still selling goods and services online and others were offering vouchers that could be redeemed when trading resumes.

He said some ideas for Mother's Day gifts sourced locally include gifts bought online from local retailers, either home-delivered or picked up in-store; vouchers for services such as facials and massages that can be redeemed later; vouchers for restaurants and cafes that can be redeemed later; a takeaway meal from Mum's favourite eatery; her favourite tipple from your neighbourhood bottle shop; flowers or plants from a local nursery.

"We are asking the Hunter community to go out of their way to make sure they track down and consider the offer of local business, be it online, over the phone or 'click and collect'," Mr Hawes said.

"We realise it's sometimes easier to sit at home and surf the larger international platforms but shopping locally is more personal and has the added benefit of supporting businesses that employ local people."