Garvagh charity shop raises £240,000 to tackle poverty in ten years
A charity shop in the village of Garvagh near Coleraine has raised almost a quarter of a million pounds to tackle extreme poverty during the past decade.
Charity shop, ‘The Changing Room’ has raised £240,000 for Christian Aid Ireland since it was founded by local grandmother, Rachel McCormick ten years ago.
Rachel, who continues to be the shop’s volunteer manager, is supported by a team of more than 15 volunteers who give a half day each week to sort donations, price goods and process sales.
The total was announced at a celebratory 10th anniversary lunch held in Garvagh yesterday (Wednesday 25 February) when Christian Aid Ireland’s Chief Executive Rosamond Bennett thanked all the charity shop’s volunteers for their incredible dedication and described some of the work that their fundraising makes possible.
The Changing Room is Christian Aid’s only charity shop in the UK and Ireland.
In late 2015, Rachel approached the aid agency for permission to set up a charity shop. She then identified premises on Main Street, recruited volunteers from the local community and put out a call for donations.
By February 2016, the shop was open for business. Ten years on and the shop is still run entirely by volunteers, meaning that none of the money raised has been spent on salaries.
Rachel, a retired nurse-midwife and mother of five, believes the success of the shop has been a team effort.
She said: “None of this would have been possible without the incredible volunteers who give their time each week, the high-quality donations we receive from the good people of Garvagh and all our loyal customers who come in regularly to support our shop with their purchases. We also want to thank our landlord who has been very kind.”
Rosamond Bennett paid tribute to Rachel and all the volunteers. She said: “The work we do to help people suffering as a result of conflict and the climate crisis is only possible because of the support we receive from people like Rachel and all the other volunteers. We are incredibly grateful to them for the love they show to people around the world living in poverty and desperation.”
One shop assistant, Joyce Workman, described how she enjoys helping people find what they need: “Only last week, a man came into the shop looking for an outfit to wear to a wedding and we were able to get him kitted out from head to toe. We often have people come in looking for a black coat to wear to a funeral.”
The Changing Room at 65 Main Street, Garvagh is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9.30 until 4.30 and on Saturdays from 10am until 4pm.