Double celebrations at Stowmarket charity shop
Staff and volunteers at a charity shop have had double reason to celebrate this week as they not only recently reopened their doors after months of lockdown, but also received a donation for £1,370.
The British Heart Foundation’s shop on Ipswich Street, Stowmarket, was one of 750 across the UK which had to close as a result of the pandemic.
Now, staff at the shop are delighted to reopen and this week also welcomed Peter Andrews from the Rotary Club of Stowmarket Gipping Valley.
The club held a music concert last December at the local United Reformed Church complete with a barber shop choir and local group Stellar Acapella, with all proceeds from the evening going to the BHF.
The BHF has estimated that the coronavirus crisis has been costing it around £10 million a month, which it fears could impact its future funding for research across the UK.
The charity is appealing to the public to support it by fundraising or donating to help support its work.
Assistant manager Philip Aldous said: “We have missed our customers so much over the last four months and so to be able to welcome them back has been wonderful.
"The fact that we have also been able to accept this generous donation of £1,370 makes it extra special too. We want to sincerely thank everyone at the Rotary Club of Stowmarket Gipping Valley for backing the BHF and supporting us at such a critical time – we simply couldn’t operate without donations such as this.
"We would like to welcome locals in Stowmarket and the surrounding area to head down to the shop and either donate their pre-loved items or come and have a browse. Every item sold will help us continue our life saving research, which is needed now more than ever.”
The Stowmarket shop welcomes items such as clothing, handbags, shoes, books, bric-a-brac, cameras and jewellery.
Every item sold will be turned into funds for research that could help transform the lives of those in Stowmarket living with heart and circulatory diseases.
BHF shops and stores have new measures in place to keep staff, volunteers and customers safe.
Customers will be able to donate items at new contact-free donation points set up at every BHF shop entrance.
For larger donations to BHF home stores, donors will be able to book a free collection service online or by calling their local home store.
All pick-ups will be contact-free and in line with social distancing guidelines.
You can call the Stowmarket shop on 01449 678127 to discuss ways you can donate.