Rockfield Centre Community Charity Shop opens

THE ROCKFIELD Community Centre Charity Shop opens today (Thursday March 29) replacing the former White Building, which was demolished to create the new marine centre on Oban’s North Pier.

Over the seven years the charity shop was situated in the White Building, it attracted thousands of visitors from all over the world and raised more than £500,000 for local charities.

The organisers hope to continue that success in the new shop at the Rockfield Centre. It will also feature an information point so that visitors can keep up with the events at Rockfield as it expands its monthly programme of activities, workshops and classes.

Graham MacQueen, a director of Oban Communities Trust which runs the Rockfield Centre, said: ‘This is going to be the greatest asset Oban will have ever had.

‘The community sorely missed a community charity shop. Since the White Building closed, there has not been one week where we have not had requests to re-open the community shop.

‘The money raised here is entirely for the Rockfield Centre. It is entirely run by volunteers. Every penny that comes into the till will go to the community.

It is hugely important for the Rockfield Centre that we start generating income to make it sustainable: somebody has to pay the electricity bills.’ The Rockfield Community Charity Shop will be run by the same group of volunteers from the White Building. Graham McQueen commended the volunteers for once again giving their time free of charge for the community.

Alison Chadwick, also a director, added: ‘People love old things and bric-a-brac.

‘It will become an information hub and a focus for a community share offer starting in May.’

Gordon McNab, chairman of Oban Communities Trust which is spearheading the fundraising for the centre, said: ‘Opening the shop comes at a dynamic time for the Rockfield Centre.

‘We are about to launch the sale of community shares in May which will form the final push for the funding package to ‘get the lights on’ and the centre operating fully.’

The Rockfield Community Charity shop will be supported by MacQueen Bros Ltd and MacQueen Bros Charitable Trust.

Anyone wishing to donate items to the Rockfield Community Charity Shop can contact MacQueen Bros Ltd on 01631 564848 for free uplift and transport of the items.

To find out more about the Oban Communities Trust visit http://www.obancommunitiestrust.org.uk and to find out more about the activities on offer at Rockfield, visit www. therockfieldcentre.org.uk