Charity shop in town closes
A NUNEATON charity shop which raised more than £2m to fight cancer has closed.
Bosses at Cancer Research have confirmed the store in Stratford Street is now shut after being open for 29 years.
Thanks to local residents, the shop has raised an incredible £2.3 million for the charity.
Chiefs have stressed the closure is not as a result of coronavirus, instead down to the lease at the premises expiring.
However, there remains a Cancer Research shop in Church Street and they have pleaded with shoppers to continue to support them.
Josephine Mewett, head of retail operations at Cancer Research UK, issued a heartfelt thanks to all the staff and volunteers who have kept the shop going for almost 30 years.
She added that six of the store’s nine volunteers would be transferring to the Church Street store with one paid member of staff being made redundant.
“We’ve had some of the most amazing staff and volunteers in the Stratford Street shop and they’ve done a fantastic job,” she said.
“I want to say a huge thank you to each and every one of them.
“Now, more than ever, we need to raise as much money as possible to fund our life-saving work so, although we won’t be renewing this lease, I sincerely hope our customers will continue to support the charity.”
She added: “Our Church Street store is in a great location and sells high quality items with all profits going to Cancer Research UK’S research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.”
The closure coincides with the launch of an urgent new appeal to help get Cancer Research UK’S life-saving work back on track following the Covid-19 lockdown, which hit charities hard.
The charity says it expects to see a staggering £160 million drop in income in the next financial year - putting lifesaving research at risk.
They are asking residents to play their part in ensuring their work can continue.
“Our pioneering work has helped save millions of lives - but that’s only possible thanks to the
commitment of our supporters and volunteers,” Ms Mewett said.
“Without them it would not be possible to fund outstanding scientists, doctors and nurses so we’d like to thank people in Nuneaton for their dedication to the cause.”
Cancer Research UK spent more than £11 million last year in the West Midlands and Warwickshire region on some of the UK’S leading scientific and clinical research.