Shop raises £25k to save Caistor centre

The Caistor charity shop can be found at the former Multi-Use Centre in South Street and proceeds from the sales over the past year have supported Caistor Arts and Heritage to the tune of more than £25,000.

Steph Rich, manager of the centre and the shop, has been overwhelmed with the support the shop has received.

She said: “It has been an incredibly successful first year.

“The shop has been very much supported by the community in the terms of people coming forward to volunteer and with all the donations we have received.

“Financially, the shop has been outstanding and has really saved the Arts and Heritage Centre.”

Money raised at the shop has been used to fund vital equipment for the centre’s cafe and has also covered redecorating costs of the centre as a whole.

But Steph said it wasn’t just the centre that has benefitted from the shop.

She continued: “The shop was set up to ensure the future of the centre, but it is now a real part of the community.

“We have a lot of regulars, some who travel from away as our reputation has grown, and it is a very friendly place to be.”

One customer commented: “It is like walking into an Aladdin’s cave; I can always find something to buy.”

Caistor has a very active environmental group - Caistor GO2 - and the shop, of course, fits in well with their actions.

Steph said: “In these current times, people are thinking of sustainable shopping and we have a good range of pre-loved items which all help people ‘do their bit’ for the environment.”

The shop is staffed by a team of 21 volunteers, the youngest being just 12 years of age.

However, volunteer manager Christine Brewster says there is always room for more volunteers to join them.

She said: Our volunteers are amazing.

“Since the shop has been open, they have clocked up over 5,000 volunteer hours.

“And that is just during opening hours, it doesn’t take into account time put in for window dressing and stock taking, which some of the team do in their own time.

“We have a wide range of ages volunteering and it is a great way to put skills to use or learn new ones.”

The shop team is also looking at putting on some events, with a fashion show in the pipe line for later in the year.

Meanwhile, the shop will continue to generate funds for supporting the Arts and Heritage Centre and also to help set up some new projects.

Steph said: “Now the money is there to keep the centre open, we can look at other things.

“We would really like to set up some form of youth project, which would help increase activities for young people in Caistor.

“We also want to build on the sustainable living side of things and maybe look at some upcycling projects, which can be run at the Arts and Heritage Centre.”

The shop is open from Wednesday to Saturday, from 10am to 4pm and can be contacted on 01472 859017.

Steph added: “We really have enjoyed our first year.

“We have all learnt a lot about running a charity shop and what our customers want.

“The shop is good for the town too.

“We have local residents who use the shop on a regular basis and we also know the shop has brought people in, so that is good for all the businesses here.

“We have become a real part of the town’s business community and if we continue to be this successful, we may have to look at larger premises, so watch this space.”