Sharon urges public to shop today to save lives tomorrow
A charity outlet manager from Fort William whose cousin died from cancer is urging people to shop to save lives.
It was an emotional moment for Sharon Smith last Friday as she opened the doors of the Cancer UK shop to customers again for the first time since lockdown started.
Sharon knows exactly how vital the power of research is to give families more tomorrows with their loved ones. Her cousin Laura Barr died in March 2018, aged 51, after a four-year battle with brain cancer.
‘I miss Laura’s laughter, her smile and that sparkle which was always in her eyes,’ said Sharon. ‘Memories of Laura make me see clearly there’s so much urgent work still to be done to help beat cancer. That’s why it’s such a relief for the tills to be ringing again. I love my job and I’m proud of our team of staff and volunteers in Fort William who have raised more than £3 million since the shop first opened on November 14, 1989. Covid-19 has slowed us down. But we will never stop.’
The Fort William store reopened on Friday. Staff and volunteers at the High Street store are now getting back to business to tackle the shortfall in funding caused by the pandemic.
‘To save lives tomorrow, we need the public’s support today – so we want people to know we’re making every effort to create a safe shopping experience,’ added Sharon.
‘Covid-19 has hit us hard and after three long months we’re delighted to be able to welcome new and familiar faces back through our doors again, as well as a host of new donations. Our shops are full of new and preloved items, fashion one-offs and homeware treasures – particularly after lockdown clear-outs. As well as being sold at bargain prices, every sale helps to fund our work. But right now, clinical trials are being postponed and we’re having to delay vital research.
With its shops typically contributing more than £25million every year to vital research, Cancer Research UK has suffered a dramatic loss of income since they were forced to close temporarily due to lockdown. Highlighting the scale of the funding gap, the call to support the shops coincides with the launch of an urgent new TV appeal to help get the charity’s life-saving work back on track.
Strict measures are being followed to ensure people can shop, volunteer and donate goods safely in Fort William.
These include social distancing, hand sanitiser stations, cough guards at till points, face coverings and gloves for shop staff and volunteers, additional cleaning and a 72hour quarantine period for donated items.
The shop also has a 72-hour quarantine period for donated items.
Staff are recommending that people phone ahead to check capacity on the day before dropping off goods as the new safety measures mean that storage space may be limited.
The Cancer Research UK Fort William shop is open 9.30am-4.30pm, Tuesday to Saturday.