Hospice set to open charity superstore in Stourport

The move has been prompted by the success of the current shop in the town with shoppers and donors, as well as the improved access offered by a larger store with parking.

The store will offer quality preloved clothing, accessories, books, DVDs and CDs, homeware, furniture and small electricals all under one roof.

Dan Corns, Associate Director of Retail Operations, for St Richard’s Hospice, said: “Having had a presence in Stourport since 2012, our new store is a fantastic opportunity for the local community to continue to support St Richard’s by donating preloved items, volunteering, or popping in to browse and shop. A wealth of free parking right outside the new store makes browsing and dropping off even easier for supporters.

“We hope all our regular customers will come and join us and look forward to seeing lots of new faces too. In challenging financial times for UK hospices it’s vitally important we can raise more funds towards the care and support St Richard’s gives to patients, their families and the bereaved across Worcestershire, which includes in-patients from the north of the county such as Stourport and surrounding communities.”

Mr Corns also made a call out for more volunteers to help run the new shop. They will join a team of 15 existing volunteers who support the current shop but more are needed to run the bigger superstore, and also to support Sunday opening.

He added, “Volunteers will have the chance to make new friends, pick up new skills, and establish yourself as a valued member of the St Richard's Hospice community by volunteering. To suit your needs, we provide a variety of days and hours. Our existing volunteers can't wait to welcome you into our warm and friendly team!”

The volunteer role may include a variety of tasks such as preparing stock, creating visual displays, using the till, steaming, helping customers, and much more. Volunteers are asked to commit to working one 2 to 4-hour shift per week or fortnight during opening hours.

Anyone interested in volunteering is asked to pop into the current shop on the High Street; email volunteerservice@strichards.org.uk or apply online at: strichards.org.uk/latest-volunteering-vacancies/volunteer-at-stourport-superstore

The new superstore will be located in the old Co-operative store on Lombard Street/Tan Lane with a number of other retailers also located within the new retail park. 

The current St Richard’s shop will close in July and reopen as a clearance shop focusing on clothing, accessories, books, toys and bric-a-brac at bargain prices of £5 and under.  It will give customers a last chance to snap up items which haven’t already caught the eye of shoppers in St Richard’s other stores.  

The St Richard’s retail outlets are the charity’s face within the community and its 18 shops welcome more than 300,000 customers annually.

The charity’s retail income is in the region of £3m each year, with the profits helping fund its care and support of patients, their families and bereaved people.

St Richard’s Hospice is an independent charity caring for adults with a serious progressive illness, improving their quality of life from diagnosis, during treatment to their last days and supporting those important to them.

Each year the hospice team supports more than 3,100 patients, family members and bereaved people in Worcestershire. 

It will cost in the region of £12m to run the hospice this year, which includes patient care and all the necessary support services.

St Richard’s relies on voluntary support, including from donations, gifts in Wills, retail and events for the majority of its income with the remainder funded by the NHS.

For more information about St Richard’s Hospice visit strichards.org.uk