Sustainable shopping just became more fashionable in Swanage with the opening of a new Lewis-Manning Hospice Care shop.
The shop in Station Road was opened by Sir Christopher Lees, trustee of the Talbot Village Trust, which provided £20,000 of funding.
Director of retail Susan Newcombe said: “We are so excited to be opening in Swanage, in the heart of the community that we deliver our services to in Purbeck.
“The shop is boutique style, with a focus on fashionable clothing and accessories for ladies and gentlemen, with the occasional designer item included too.
“We’re really hoping to stand out in terms of our offering and be bright, vibrant and offer some wonderfully unique and stylish items for sale.
“It’s the perfect place to come and find something to treat yourself to, but also a wonderful spot to have a browse through our quirky bric-a-brac home section and perhaps find that interesting gift for a loved one. There will also be a small collection of books.
“We look forward to welcoming Swanage shoppers over the coming weeks and would urge for donations to be made too. Every bag donated is worth about £30.
“We are keen to turn preloved items into reloved items.
“Lewis-Manning is enjoying a surge in charity shopping as there is so much more awareness around sustainability nowadays. We are seeing a lot more people actively seeking out ways to shop sustainably, which is fantastic for the environment and our fundraising – so we can keep providing extraordinary care to people who really need it.
“We have received £20,000 of funding from the Talbot Village Trust, whose generosity has enabled us to secure our brilliant new central premises and allow us to fully refurbish them.
“We are looking forward to showing off our contemporary and stylish new design.”
Sir Christopher Lees added: “Lewis-Manning is a wonderful charity and we are very lucky to have it here in Dorset to bring palliative care to people in their homes. It’s something I wish I’d had for my parents.
“Swanage is a very community-focused area and the shop is a fantastic addition to the town.”
Swanage deputy mayor Chris Moreton said: “Having the shop here is a great opportunity for people to donate goods and to attract volunteers. The shop is an expression of care in the local community for its people.”
Susan Newcombe added: “We also need to say special thanks to Karndean Flooring and Saxby Lighting who have provided the flooring and lighting free of charge.
“Their support for the charity has been huge and incredibly generous. It’s thanks to them the shop looks super stylish.
“Other thanks go to Bradlea Builders, Plumblink, Moreplan and Talis Surveying who have all shown amazing generosity to the hospice and supporting our shop refurbishment.”