New charity shop to open in centre of village

[dutchman]

The shop is set to open in Balsall Common early in the new year



A brand-new charity shop in Balsall Common will raise vital funds for Birmingham Hospice, as well as providing employment and volunteering opportunities for local residents. The store, on Kenilworth Road in the centre of the village, is set to open early in the new year, selling a range of good-quality pre-loved goods.

Two paid positions have been created, for a shop manager and relief assistant manager, and the charity will also take on around 30 regular volunteers including shop floor assistants, merchandisers, stock sorters and till operators. This year marks 30 years since the charity’s first shop opened in Selly Oak to help fund its vital work providing expert care for those with life-limiting illnesses in Birmingham, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield and Sandwell.

Each year, after NHS funding, the charity must raise £5.5 million from fundraising and voluntary donations to provide its care, with its shops making a big contribution to this total. Jonathan Varley, head of retail for Birmingham Hospice, said: “We’re delighted to be coming to Balsall Common, complementing our existing shops in the area, including our very popular store in Dorridge.

“Our charity shops play a crucial role in fundraising for the hospice, as well as promoting sustainability by selling good-quality items which might otherwise be thrown away. We also provide employment and volunteering opportunities with a great chance of progression – many of our volunteers have gone on to secure jobs as a result of working with us, and some have even moved into paid positions in our shops, as managers and assistant managers.”

Details of volunteering positions and opportunities to donate stock will be posted on the hospice’s website at http://www.birminghamhospice.org.uk and its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/birminghamhospice.