Children’s charity Barnardo’s has been delighted by the support for its new Melksham shop.
The Verbena Court store is located behind the Water Meadow pub on the eastern side of the town.
It has only been open for a month but has already received more than 300 bags of donations.
The team have also welcomed several volunteers who are keen to help with their fundraising efforts. Profits will be used to support some of the UK’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.
The store is managed by Rita Barham together with sales assistant Ayla Lovegrove. Rita said, “We were the first shop to open so it was very quiet in the beginning, but it was nice to have the time to chat to the customers and some of them have become frequent visitors.
“They like the fact that it’s so different from the old-fashioned view of a stereotypical charity shop. It’s bright and modern, with plenty of space for people to browse at their leisure.
“However, we’re definitely getting busier now that the pub has opened and we expect trade to increase even further when the rest of the stores open too.
“We’ve been really impressed with the number of donations which have already been received. Some arrive with a small bag of clothes, while others park outside with a whole car-load of items after clearing a loft or garage.
“All good-quality donations will be re-sold to support the charity’s work across the UK.”
The Barnardo’s shop is open Monday-Saturday from 9.00am-5.00pm and Sunday from 10.00am-4.00pm.
The team will gratefully receive donations of good-quality clothes, books, toys, games, accessories and bric-a-brac. Donors can also sign up for Gift Aid which means the charity can claim an extra 25p for every £1 raised.
Potential volunteers are also welcome.
