Please hold on to your donations, urges children’s charity waiting to open shop in Royston

January 5, 2021

East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) is asking everyone with donations for its new Royston shop to hold on to them and says any left outside could result in the charity having to pay a disposal cost.

EACH has acquired the High Street premises formerly occupied by Woolworths. The signs are up and the grand opening had been scheduled for Thursday 21 January. Following the announcement of more government restrictions, the good cause says it now intends to open just as soon as possible.

Sarah Throssell, EACH Acting Head of Retail, said: “We’re obviously very sad to have to postpone the opening, though realising it is for the right reasons. We’d had such a brilliant show of support from everyone in Royston who had heard about us coming to town, whether they were offering to come along and shop, volunteer or make donations.

“We’d now like to ask people to hold on to their donations, if they possibly can, rather than leaving them outside the shop where they are likely to become damaged and result in a disposal cost. The team who will run the shop have been furloughed for the time being, along with all our staff who keep our network of 43 other shops across the region running and bringing in vital money. This means there will be no-one there to take in donations.

“We will finally throw open the doors when it’s possible, but until then we thank everyone for their support so far and hope you all stay safe.”

EACH has previously said it wants its new shop to be a ‘real community hub’. Its shops are more important than ever, with many of the usual fundraising activities so vital to the charity’s work unable to take place. Before the recent government announcements, EACH was forecasting a loss of £2.2 million in income over the next 12 months – a third of the total it needs to support families across the region. It estimates it loses around £100,000 a week in income every week its shops are shut.

EACH provides care for hundreds of children and young people with life-threatening conditions, and support for their families, across East Anglia, 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.

Anyone interested in more information on volunteering at the new shop, once it is open, can call Sarah on 07540 335680. For the latest information check EACH’s website at www.each.org.uk or its social media accounts.