The Isabel Hospice shop in Bishop’s Stortford celebrated 30 years of bringing shoppers the very best bargains – with every purchase helping to fund the charity’s care.
The shop in Bridge Street raises tens of thousands of pounds every year to support families from Stortford and across eastern Hertfordshire who are living with a progressive illness. The hospice’s specialist support also extends to their loved ones.
The shop is a treasure trove of excellent quality pre-loved items, from fashion and accessories to books, toys and collectibles, thanks to the generosity of the 3,300-plus people each year who donate items they no longer want or need for the charity to sell.
Run by a dedicated team of staff and volunteers, it receives about 8,500 bags and boxes of donations annually, the sale of which helps to raise much-needed funds to cover the cost of providing the hospice’s expert compassionate care free of charge to those who need it.
Staff and volunteers past and present came together with the charity’s chief executive officer Helen Glenister, who lives in Stortford, and life president Barbara Doherty, of Much Hadham, to mark the occasion with a glass of bubbly and a specially made celebration cake, which was cut by Stortford’s mayor Cllr Keith Warnell.
Bishop’s Stortford’s was the second Isabel Hospice shop to open; the first was in Cheshunt. The charity’s retail business manager Charlotte Greenwood said: “We’re really proud that it’s one of only a handful with such a long history in the town.
“Last year, the hospice cared for 118 patients from the Bishop’s Stortford area, and that would not be possible without the significant contribution the shop makes in helping to fund the expert care and compassionate support Isabel provides.
“The contribution the shop made between April and October was enough to pay for 300 nursing hours and we saved 18,000 items from going into landfill.
“We’re so grateful to every single person who’s supported our shop, for every donation and every purchase over so many years. It’s a fantastic milestone and we look forward to many more years of serving the town.”
To coincide with the anniversary, the shop has introduced the award-winning Faith in Nature range of naturally-sourced hair and body products as well as a refilling station so customers can return to reuse their bottles, filling up for just £1 per 100ml.
The Bishop’s Stortford shop is currently in need of extra helpers. If you have a few hours to spare, please drop in or visit www.isabelhospice.org.uk/volunteerto find out how you could become an Isabel volunteer. The shop is open from 9.30am to 5pm Monday to Saturday.
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