Paralympian reopens hospice shop

Friday 30th March 2012

Paralympian silver medallist Robert Churchill has helped reopen a charity shop which supports a hospice.

The table tennis player cut the ribbon at the reopening event of the Greenwich And Bexley Community Hospice's charity shop in Welling, Kent, earlier this week.

Robert, who also volunteers at the shop one day a week, attended the event alongside the charity's trustee, Gerald Peters and retail manager, Betty Sorrell.

The shop raises funds to support the work of the hospice, which provides free specialist palliative care and support their families.

Betty said: "The reopening was very special because it is the original shop that the hospice's co-founders Pat Jeavons and Don Sturrock opened in 1986, ran as a traditional charity shop and made the first £400,000 to help build the hospice.

"Since 2002 the shop traded as a furniture and electrical shop, and since 2009 as an electrical shop, but it returns to its traditional roots."

During its first day of trading the Bellegrove Road shop took £580.

The shop, which is open from Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 4pm, is one of 14 which help raise the necessary funds to support the charity.

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