Charity shop hits £2m milestone

arbroath: Cancer Research High Street premises celebrates raising ‘fantastic’ sum

Staff at a town centre Cancer Research shop had two million reasons to celebrate at the weekend after passing a major seven-figure fundraising milestone.

Regular customers at Arbroath’s High Street premises joined volunteers in marking £2 million being raised by the branch over the past two decades, a feat described as “fantastic” by shop manager Carol Andrews.

She praised the community for the support given to the shop and, alongside a pat on the back for the band of volunteers who man the premises, issued a plea for more locals to think about giving a helping hand.

“Arbroath High Street has just died and although people moan about charity shops our income year on year has just gone up,” she said.

“This town has really supported us and I think £2 million for Cancer Research UK is absolutely amazing.

“We are inundated with donations, really good quality items, which allows us to make the money that we do.”

Carol said that down the years, the Arbroath branch had also enjoyed a couple of unexpected windfalls thanks to the generosity of supporters.

“We were given a commemorative gold coin which was sent to auction in Edinburgh and raised £1,000, and a few months later the same people donated a number of signed McIntosh Patrick prints which sold very well, so we are very lucky to have regulars who are so kind.

“We also have customers who come in here every day and obviously we just wouldn’t exist without everyone who supports us.”

She added: “At the moment we have a group of about 20 volunteers, but could always do with a few more people to give us extra cover.

“I would dearly love another three or four people to come forward and give us whatever time they can spare to help us continue this success – it could be for just a few hours and we will definitely work round them.”

It is – tragically – perhaps not surprising to learn ruthless scam artists are targeting vulnerable elderly people.

However, for it to be suggested that some old folk are simply so desperate for company they will ignore the fact they may be the victim of ruthless con artists is truly heartbreaking.

We all have a responsibility to care for the older members of society – a fact brought home in stark fashion by Action on Elder Abuse Scotland.

In this technological age of 24-hour emails and all the attendant pressures of modern day life, it can be hard to find the time to think about those seeing out lonely lives behind closed doors.

Many can go days without human contact so it is perhaps hardly surprising they crave the attention given to them during all-too-rare phone calls.

It is tragic to think that their desperation to find a fellow human being to talk to is being exploited in such an utterly heartless way.

However painful it is to consider, Elder Abuse Scotland are quite right to raise the issue – and better still they have a potential solution. The peer support network suggested by the charity could play a vital role in not only protecting vulnerable elderly people from scammers, but also in providing the human contact they yearn for.

We should all do everything in our power to support their aims.

Pictures: Gareth Jennings. Dawn Murray, who has been at the shop for five years, and, below, with manager Carol Andrews, area manager Ken Donaldson, in red, and volunteers.