Relate Charity Shop Refurb

We are looking to raise funds to refurbish our charity shop to maximise its potential and increase its income.  The more income we receive from the shop the more subsidised counselling sessions we can offer from our two counselling centres in Reigate and Epsom and via Zoom to those families, young people, couples and individuals most in need but due to financial constraints are unable to access our support during times of difficulty and crisis.

Our board of trustees have agreed to cover some of the project from our reserves, and we have been busy fundraising, however we still need to raise the last £8,200 through crowdfunding.

The shop is not just a place to buy second hand clothes but a community hub that brings people together.

The shop is run solely by a team of 25 volunteers headed up by our volunteer shop manager who has been running it for almost 20 years.  This means that all the income from the shop after premises costs goes towards providing subsidised and free counselling sessions.  Our volunteers are invaluable and we would not be able to run the shop without them. Our shop provides an important opportunity for people in the community to get involved in our work as well as raising awareness of our charity and what we do. The team are all incredibly passionate about the shop, it is an important part of their lives where they have made friends, want to give back to their local community, or support Relate after the charity has helped them or their family during a difficult time.  Our volunteers are really happy working for us, take pride in making the shop look good, helping customers and enjoy helping to raise funds for Relate.

Benefits of a refurbishment will not just be increased revenue to support more clients on our waiting list but also local economic benefits as we will drive more footfall into the local parade and therefore the other shops will benefit too.

The shop is not just a place to buy second hand clothes but a community hub that brings people together.

The shop income supports around 500 people every year through our counselling services. We project the refurbishment will increase income so we support up to 800 people in our community.

The shop is currently rundown and tired looking.  There is limited space for donations which makes it difficult to sort through the large bags of items resulting in volunteers having to sadly decline donations.  Giving the shop a facelift with better storage and sorting facilities will mean we can accept more donations, leading to more sales. New electrics and fixtures and fittings will mean improved lighting and better displays. Redecoration will give the shop a fresh and clean feel and therefore a better shopping experience for our customers.

At Relate Mid and East Surrey we believe healthy relationships are at the heart of a thriving society and that everyone should be able to access the support they need regardless of their financial situation.

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