The hospice’s chief executive, Rob Jones, explained that the motivation behind opening the new shop was largely to establish another steady and consistent stream of income, as the hospice has seen increasing costs and is not States-supported.
‘We need to increase funding, mostly due to the number of patients we have now, and the number we see with much more complex conditions,’ he said.
‘Our shop in St Martin’s is the main way that we fund the hospice, and it brings in very regular, consistent money compared to independent fundraising events.’
The hospice’s vision for the Bridge shop is that it will be very similar to the St Martin’s location, offering a similar range of products at similarly affordable prices. The already-established charity shop sells a wide variety of clothing, books, household items and even, on occasion, furniture.
‘As well as providing the hospice service, I think our shop also has a really important place in the community,’ said Mr Jones.
‘Money’s getting tighter, and our charity shops prove a viable way to recycle old items and give people access to affordable clothing. We’re really happy to now be opening a place that will service the north of the island too.’
Les Bourgs Hospice is a registered charity that relies on the generosity of the community to continue operating as the island’s primary provider of hospice care. As of yet, it has not received any support from the States.
‘We provide palliative care, and we’re really specialists in that,’ said Mr Jones.
‘We’re also the main place on the island that does that. There’s a team of community nurses that provide palliative care, but sometimes it’s not possible for people to stay at home and they need that additional help and support. There are also so many challenges that families might face when caring for a loved one, so we offer a place where they can visit and be present, without all the struggle of doing the care work.’
The new charity shop is set to open on 27 February, and will initially be open only on Fridays and Saturdays.
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