Did you know that at St Mary’s Hospice shops we steam clean all of the clothes before they are put out into the shop, even new with tags garments? This means that they are firstly wrinkle free (though sometimes the linen is a challenge!…ponders why there is always a rail full of linen items when it is my turn to steam… ) but more importantly in these very-hygiene conscious times, clothes are freshened by the steam, and it can help to reduce any bacteria lurking. We also steam clean bedding , fabric and anything else that can be steamed without ruining it.

Ok so NOBODY wants to think about “nasties” on our clothes, but by steaming at least we can rest assured that they are as fresh as can be without physically laundering everything. As an aside, we don’t wash the clothes as we don’t have a machine in any of the shops BUT if an item is worth the extra effort then our managers have been known to take them home and put through the wash there…..Giggles at other-halves face when you bring bin bags full of washing home and they look aghast thinking the bags are your ACTUAL purchases from that day… (Not that I would EVER buy that much I totally would )

As an extra step in our virus-busting measures we are going to quarantine all donations for 72 hours to make sure there are no germs on them , before we touch them. We will wash bric-a-brac in soap and water , and anything that can’t be washed will be anti-bac wiped wherever possible i.e book covers .

If you have chance to wash donated clothes before you bring them then we appreciate that very much , oh yes we do , donation-happiness is a bag that wafts that freshly laundered scent. And it makes the back room smell nice when it is steamed. On that subject we are proud that our charity shops don’t smell like charity shops. Believe me, our volunteers have noses like fine-tuned bloodhounds and can sniff out any pongs at twenty paces. That’s two metres , in social distancing , right? (it is actual 15.24 metres , yep I googled it , but y’know, poetic license and all that).

We will be spring cleaning our shops before they reopen, and once we are open all surfaces will be regularly sanitised. We will be as clean and shiny as a new pin. Delightfully named “sneeze screens” are being installed around the till areas in each shop, and hand sanitiser units are near the door for customers to use on entry and exit. We will also have social distancing reminders and a measured area to queue if we are busy. Who am I kidding of COURSE we will be busy- nobody has had their guilt-free retail therapy in MONTHS!

As a final thought, we will do everything in our power to keep our shops as safe as is possible, we have risk assessments coming out of our ears. We want you to feel confident that you can browse, donate or volunteer in an environment where it is safe to do so.

We look forward very much to letting you all loose amongst the lovely things soon. N.B in a responsible and socially distanced manner of course 🙂

Hi to everyone, I hope you are all keeping safe and well in these unprecedented times?

On Monday this week ( which now seems eons ago is it really only Thursday?) the decision was made to close all of our shops until it is possible to trade again safely . Those who can work from home are to do so.

Although the Hospice is an essential service, as a non-essential category of shops we needed to close our doors.

This has felt so strange, to have to cease doing what is a dedicated passion, mothball our shops and lock up and walk away. I think we all feel that our shops are our babies.

Pictured above is the drawer where all of my volunteer’s lanyards are all parked up. I will be so happy to see them all back in the shop.

Suddenly plans for upcoming window display , rotas and of course seeing our customers and volunteers daily , plus the routine of banking , sorting donations and all of the “normal” everyday tasks have stopped.

We feel lost , sad for those who are poorly, worried and anxious about how the months ahead will pan out.

But we are busy bees while working from home , planning and preparing for the wonderful moment when we flip the CLOSED sign to OPEN again.

We are busy studying relevant courses and qualifications, and mandatory training .

Our fab Barrow Warehouse staff are working with the local community supporting the Barrow Hub delivering essential supplies to those who are self isolating.

We are keeping positive and adjusting to our new at home roles. This is my set up today , bit of a change from sorting bags of donations!

With the staying at home coinciding with the first really nice spell of weather it has been an excellent opportunity to crack on with all the jobs that usually get left due to lack of time.

Whilst you are self-isolating are you planning a spring clean, sorting all those cupboards and wardrobes that have been on the “To Do” list for ages?

Please think of us if you are although we cannot accept any donations currently .

Please, please do not leave anything outside the shops as there is nobody there to take them indoors .

We will be doubly delighted to receive them when we are back to business. If you could store them safely til then we’d be grateful , we’ll need your support then more than ever.

Also while we are staying home a lot of our daily habits, treats and indulgencies are scuppered. An idea mentioned on the TV was that if you regularly buy an everyday item , say a cup of coffee, but are unable to at the moment would you consider donating that amount to the Hospice please? Of course we appreciate these are worrying times financially for many , but as my Mum use to say “Pennies make Pounds”

Follow the link below to the Donate on our main St Mary’s Hospice website https://www.stmaryshospice.org.uk/donation/make-a-donation/

I will sign off today by sharing the video clip of our C.E.O Val giving a short interview on North West Tonight on 23rd March 2020 speaking about how the virus is affecting the Hospice.

Apologies in advance for the quality , I recorded it straight from the TV , click the link below to watch on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/retailatstmaryshospice/posts/1070517126655736?__tn__=-R

Keep Safe and we will see you later x

Happy Valentine’s Day?

Are you going to buy the (especially price-inflated for Valentine’s day) red roses, or the giant card – something cleverly marketed to persuade you to spend more £’s to prove your love for somebody?

It seems that Valentine’s Day is more and more materialistic and commercialised. It’s about what you buy for someone to show your feelings , rather than what you feel. When the Beatles sang “Money can’t buy me love” they didn’t work in a card shop or florist at the begining of February !

It can be a sad day for those who have lost somebody dear to them, a poignant reminder that they are no longer there to exchange cards with.

As we are a charity shop we have no Valentine’s day stock to sell (unless of course any is donated ) sooooooooooooo we thought that filling our shop window with genuine sentiment would be a great idea .

One of our hashtags is #sharingthelove and what better way to share it than a window full of dedicated hearts.

The window is full of hand drawn hearts and Forget-me -nots. For a donation you can choose the names you would like to see written up. Whether for family members, friends or in remembrance we thought it was a NICE THING.

The world needs more NICE THINGS.

To help fill our window with love and to dedicate a heart contact Grange-Over-Sands shop on 015395 32735

Or find us on social media at Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stmaryshospiceshops/

or Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/retailatstmaryshospice/

Carry on #sharingthelove !

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