Prospect Hospice charity shops to open on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays

Following the successful re-opening of its charity shops earlier this month, Prospect Hospice is going to be opening a selection of them on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays.

In Swindon, the charity’s shops in Gorse Hill, Old Town, Regent Street and West Swindon, along with its shop in Cricklade, will be open on Bank Holiday Mondays starting on Monday 3 May 2021. 

The Gorse Hill, Old Town, West Swindon and Cricklade shops will also open on Sundays, starting from Sunday 9 May.  The Regent Street shop will be opening on Sundays on a fortnightly basis, from 9 May, followed by 23 May, 6 June, 20 June until 4 July.

Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday opening times are 10am to 4pm.

Victoria Canavan, head of retail at Prospect Hospice, said: “We’re excited to be opening a selection of our Swindon shops and our Cricklade shop on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays. It gives us another opportunity to generate income for the hospice while also giving customers the opportunity to shop.

“For people who work during the week Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays could be a convenient time for them to visit our shops and pick up some quality items of clothing, books and homeware. Also, parking in the council’s car parks in Swindon town centre is free on Sundays.” 

Prospect Hospice has 15 charity shops in Swindon, Cricklade, Marlborough, Pewsey, Royal Wootton Bassett and Wroughton.

They re-opened on 12 April, the first time in 2021 due to the Coronavirus national lockdown, and Victoria said there was pent up demand from shoppers.

“Our shops have been really busy with customers buying and donating items,” she said. “In the first week of trading after the lockdown some of our shops doubled their income targets, which is more than we took at the peak Christmas trading period.

“Clothes have been our biggest seller. During lockdown people were perhaps focussed on spending money on their home and their garden. Now that our shops have re-opened customers have been coming back and looking for a wide variety of beautiful spring and summer clothes. We have some hidden gems in our shops.

“We’re also really grateful that customers held on to items through lockdown to donate to our shops. Since the shops re-opened we’ve been overwhelmed by the response – we’ve had double the amount of items donated than normal.

“Our staff and volunteers are delighted to be back working in our shops and welcoming customers.  Our communities love our shops and are over the moon that they are open. We have amazing supporters who visit our shops every day.”

Customers wishing to donate items such as clothes, homeware and books to the charity’s shops are asked to make an appointment by calling them. Details of the shops are on the charity’s website https://www.prospect-hospice.net/retail/

If you have furniture to donate please email [email protected]

The charity is in need of sofas, chairs, book shelves, dining room table and chairs, side tables and chest of drawers. Sofas and fabric chairs must have fire labels attached.