6:30am Thursday 18th March 2010
By Hayley Court
PROSPECT Hospice is saying thanks a million to its charity shop customers after raising a fifth of its fundraising target for the year.
With just three weeks until the end of the financial year, the Wroughton-based hospice has revealed that its 11 shops in and around Swindon have raked in the lion’s share of its annual funds target.
It is the most money the shops have ever taken and has given the charity a much needed boost toward the £4.5m needed every year to run the service.
Prospect’s head of retail Charly Rich said: “With the opening of three new shops in the last 12 months, in Clive Parade, Highworth and West Swindon, we have put greater emphasis on the financial contribution made through our shops this year, and have reaped the benefit with our best ever financial return.
“We knew £1m was an ambitious target for the year, but I was always confident we could achieve it, and I am delighted we’ve managed it with three weeks to spare until the end of the financial year.”
Prospect’s dedicated care supports more than 1,400 patients, and their families, every year.
It costs more than £4.5m to provide, with only around a quarter of the funding coming from statutory sources such as the NHS.The hospice is therefore highly dependent on the support of the Swindon community.
Charly said: “I think it has become more fashionable over the years to rummage in charity shops, something that has certainly enabled us to extend the amount of outlets we have.
“There was also a glimmer of opportunity to come out of the recession, with landlords more willing to negotiate terms of lease and the chance to pay a lower rate of rent so that has helped enormously.
“It’s fantastic that patients and their families have been able to benefit from the generosity of people who donate items, people who buy them, and also through the selflessness of the many volunteers who support our shops.
“We thank them enormously for their support.”
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