A NEW charity superstore is set to throw open its doors to the public in Stourport next week.
The St Richard’s Hospice superstore will officially open at 10am on Saturday, July 5, in the town’s Tannery Retail Park, Lombard Street.
The store is the Worcestershire hospice’s biggest, and will help the charity generate the funds it needs to continue its care for patients with incurable illnesses and support for their loved ones.
A wide variety of quality, preloved clothing, furniture, homeware, books and much more will be on sale. The store will be open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm, and on Sundays between 10.30am and 4.30pm.
Dan Corns, Associate Director of Retail Operations for St Richard’s, said: “We have been hard at work getting the store ready to open and are really looking forward to welcoming in customers and donors to enjoy the new retail space.
“It’s set to play an important role in generating the funds we need to provide our specialist care, at a challenging time for hospice charities across the country.
“Our grateful thanks go to everyone involved in getting the store ready to open, including all our brilliant volunteers.”
St Richard’s cares for patients from the Stourport area, and across the county, on its specialist In-patient Unit based at the hospice in Worcester.
Cutting the ribbon to open the store will be the charity’s longest serving volunteer June Sankey, who has supported the hospice for more than 41 years; Stourport resident David Bishop, who was cared for on the hospice’s In-patient Unit (IPU) earlier this year; and Caitlyn Adkins, Head of the IPU.
Mr Bishop said: “I was admitted to the hospice in December last year expected to die.
“Five weeks later I came out on crutches and I am here today. I still have hurdles to overcome, but my ‘never give up still I rise’ attitude means the story isn’t closed just yet.
“St Richard’s is a special place, with a team of special people, that survives mostly on donations. I owe them my life.”
The hospice has 18 shops across Worcestershire. Its retail income is in the region of £3 million each year, with profits helping fund its care and support of patients, the people important to them, and bereaved people.
Volunteers are needed to support the new superstore with a variety of tasks including serving customers on the till, and preparing stock for sale.
To get involved visit www.strichards.org.uk/latest-volunteering-vacancies/volunteer-at-stourport-superstore
Once the superstore is open, it will accept donations of items in a good condition for resale during opening hours.
The sale of donated goods helps the charity raise the funds it needs to continue its care. Find out more about donating items: www.strichards.org.uk/our-shops/donate-goods