Happy 1st Birthday North Walsham Shop!

One of the six charity shops set up in Norfolk, to help fund the building of the new Priscilla Bacon Hospice has just celebrated its first year of trading.

Shop Manager Sarah Andrews said “The shop has received so many compliments on its smart appearance and the quality of stock donated by our many supporters. The shop includes two rooms of ladies’, men’s and children’s fashion, as well as a dedicated vintage area, and two rooms filled with electricals, household goods and small furniture.”

Six Priscilla Bacon Hospice charity shops, located in North Walsham, Aylsham, Stalham, Sheringham, Drayton and Taverham, were established to help underpin the fundraising operation and ensure that 93 pence in every pound raised is committed to the campaign to build the new hospice. The shops also raise awareness of the charity and act as local hubs to extend support from the wider community.

Priscilla Bacon Hospice is a new charity which has recently launched a campaign to raise £12.5 million to build a new hospice with 24 inpatient beds and replace Priscilla Bacon Lodge, the existing specialist hospice facility in Norwich.

Priscilla Bacon Lodge was built 40 years ago following a county-wide fundraising appeal and has provided a very high standard of specialist palliative care. Despite its achievements, it is now inadequate both in scale and configuration, as the population of Norfolk has grown by approximately 220,000 in this time, multiplying demand, and in its current location it cannot be extended.

The new hospice will be built adjacent to the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital and will also have improved day care and outpatients’ facilities as well as a coordination centre for the ‘Hospice at Home’ team who deliver end-of-life care in the community.

North Walsham shop staff, volunteers and shoppers celebrated the birthday with cake. Bryan Saunders, Head of Retail said “We are so grateful to the residents of North Walsham for their support over the year. Our staff and volunteers love meeting and talking to the shoppers and donors of stock. If you would like to support the shop, donations of quality goods can be made directly to the shop at 15 Market Place, and we are always pleased to hear from new volunteers to join the team.”

Any enquiries for the North Walsham Shop, please e-mail nwretail@priscillabaconhospice.org.uk or call (01692) 404129.