New EACH shop coming to Royston!
December 4, 2020
East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) is excited to announce the first addition to its retail portfolio in Hertfordshire.
EACH has acquired High Street premises in Royston, formerly occupied by Woolworths. The new charity outlet will trade Monday to Saturday, offering the same range of high-quality goods customers of EACH’s 43 shops across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk are used to. It will open on Thursday 21 January at 10.00am.
Sarah Throssell, EACH Acting Head of Retail, said: “At a time when very few of the usual fundraising activities that are so vital to us are able to take place, it’s even more important our shops continue bringing in money and, after such an unexpected year on the high street, we’re thrilled to be able to add to our chain and expand to a new area.
“The signs are up and I’m delighted we’ve already had enquiries about volunteering. We strive for all our shops to be real community hubs, so we’ll hope to see many from Royston and surrounding areas popping in to say hello, and find a bargain, once we’re open!”
EACH’s retail portfolio was growing at a rapid pace before the pandemic hit, with seven shops having opened in 2019. It opened one in Colchester just before the first lockdown, meaning the Royston shop will be its first opening in 10 months.
The charity provides care for hundreds of children and young people with life-threatening conditions, and support for their families, across the region, including Royston. It has three hospices, the nearest to Royston being in Milton, just north of Cambridge, and delivers lots of its specialist service in family homes and at hospitals. Receiving only some 16 per cent of its income from statutory sources, EACH relies on voluntary donations for the majority. The pandemic has seen those donations take a huge hit and just last week EACH forecasted a loss of £2.2m in funding over the next 12 months – a third of the total it needs to support families. The good cause has been working hard in between national lockdowns to try and manage trade back to the levels it needs, and hopes opening the new shop in Royston will be a boost towards that goal.
EACH welcomes donations of the following clean and good-quality goods: clothing, bric-a-brac, modern paperbacks, toys, jewellery, DVDs/CDs, household linens, retro and vintage clothes, and small electrical items. These can be dropped off at the new shop from Monday 18 January.
EACH also needs donations of good-quality furniture and can collect it free of charge if you are unable to transport it yourself. Call 01842 821620 for more information.
To put into context the difference just a small donation to a shop can make to the vital work EACH does, here are some examples of what your donation could pay for:
– A top, skirt or pair of trousers worth £5 could pay for art supplies for a session of art therapy
– A tea set worth £11 could help fund an hour of specialist play tailored to a child’s individual needs
– A nice wedding hat or jacket worth £19 could help towards an hour of vital physiotherapy
– An item of good-quality furniture or prom dress worth £24 could help fund an hour with a psychologist to help guide and support families going through, likely, the toughest period of their lives
Anyone interested in more information on volunteering at the new shop can email volunteerservices@each.org.uk or call Sarah on 07540 335680.