Rob cuts ribbon to declare Sue Ryder shop open

Bargain hunters were in their element when Rob cut the red ribbon and officially declared Reading's new Sue Ryder shop open so the budget-friendly retail therapy could begin.

And shoppers keen for a bargain were certainly in for a treat, bagging some fantastic finds at the Shinfield Road store, which is located in a prime position at the heart of the Whiteknights Retail Centre next to Tesco.

An amazing £1,400 worth of sales were made on the opening day. Sue Ryder retail business manager Sandy Lunn said: “The shop is amazing and the grand opening was a fantastic success. If you missed it, why not pop in and see for yourself? Packed to the rafters with good quality clothes, handbags, books, music DVDs and furniture, proceeds from the new shop will help the charity continue to provide local hospice care in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire through Duchess of Kent House in Reading, Nettlebed Hospice, and community services in Newbury and Wokingham.”

Rob said: “I’m so pleased to have had the opportunity to open this Sue Ryder shop. We’re lucky to have two Sue Ryder hospices in the area that provide specialist care and support to people when they need it most at the end of their lives. I know this is greatly valued by local people and I’m glad we’ll all have the chance to show it by supporting this new shop on Shinfield Road. Funds raised in these shops make an important contribution to Sue Ryder's delivery of high quality care.

Led by shop manager Richard Janko, the Sue Ryder staff and volunteer team were on hand to show shoppers around the store, which also stocks new goods, such as art equipment, guitars and dolls’ houses. There is also a dedicated furniture section, donated by kind-hearted people from across the borough.              

Stock of household furniture, from cabinets and desks to beds and wardrobes, is also being supplied through the charity's innovative partnership with the re3 Household Waste Recycling Centres at Smallmead, Reading and Longshot Lane Bracknell. These facilities are run by the Waste Recycling Group (WRG) for Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell Forest Borough Councils.

Staff at these facilities work with site users and select anything that looks suitable for reuse and sale for collection by Sue Ryder. This can then be supplied to the nearby Shinfield Road or the Sandhurst Sue Ryder shops to be checked, and then put on sale to raise valuable funds for people in need of specialist care.

Rob said: “I was hugely impressed by the range and quality of stock in the new shop. It is great to see the re3 project salvaging quality goods from their civic amenity sites to be sold on in Sue Ryder shops. This is an exciting and innovative community partnership and the funds generated make a huge difference to people’s lives by supporting Sue Ryder’s care delivery.”                                                                                             

Shop manager Richard Janko said: “The grand opening was brilliant, with people queuing down the road to get in. And to take almost £1,400 in just six and a half hours is truly fantastic There is something for everyone and every home and I am sure shoppers will continue to be delighted by the exceptional quality, value and wide range of goods we are selling.”                              

The shop is still recruiting volunteers to help with everything from sorting and preparing stock to merchandising and sales, and is also appealing for people to continue to donate good quality clothing, books and bric-a-brac. 

“By supporting Sue Ryder in this way, local people can help us to make a real difference to the lives of the people we care for each year. Anyone wanting to join our volunteer team should contact me by email: richard.janko@sueryder.org or by phone on 07825 754931,” said Richard.