Published on: Thursday 28 Jan 2016 at 10:04
The much-loved St Clare store in Harlow was ceremonially re-opened by the Mayor and Chair of Harlow District Council, Tony Hall, on the evening of 26 January and officially opened its doors to customers again on 27 January. The Mayor commented on the inspiring work of St Clare Hospice and thanked the staff for their dedication to supporting people with life-limiting illness across Harlow, West Essex and East Herts.
Shoppers flocked to the store on Wednesday morning and queued outside the doors, awaiting a first look at the transformation and hoping to bag themselves a pre-loved bargain. The customers were overwhelmed by the amazing makeover which was only possible thanks to the dedicated staff team, including 55 volunteers, whose hard work enabled the refurbishment to be completed in just two weeks.
The store, which is the largest and busiest of the eight St Clare shops, is the ‘powerhouse’ of our retail operation and a key contributor to the £3.75million which is required each year to provide our vital services. The major refurbishment of the store, which now boasts a dedicated ‘Vintage & Retro’ space and ‘Quality’ high street fashion range, will help us to raise even more money so that we can continue being there for local families facing one of the most difficult journeys in life.
Dick White, manager of the Harlow store, expressed his thanks to the staff team and made a heartfelt appeal for even more volunteers to ensure the shop continue to runs smoothly. The store currently requires volunteer cashiers, general sorters and van drivers. They also require volunteers to help customers sign up for Gift Aid if they are eligible, a vital source of income for St Clare as it gives us an extra 25p in the pound. A full induction programme and training will be provided for new volunteers so please, if you have some spare time and would like to be part of a brilliant team who are making a real difference to people in need, contact our Volunteer Team now.
