Sponsored by
Charity shop is best in country
A CHARITY shop in Seaford has beaten stiff competition to win an award for its outstanding contribution to the cause.
Cancer Research UK based in Broad received a Flame of Hope award after the shop and its volunteers scooped the Shop of the Year category.
The store beat 600 other Cancer Research UK shops in the country.
The charity's annual Flame of Hope Awards recognise remarkable efforts in fundraising and volunteering made by people from all walks of life.
Shop manager Laura Gerrard and some of her volunteers picked up the award last week at a special ceremony in London hosted by Cancer Research UK's chairman, David Newbigging.
An audience at the Russell Hotel heard that the shop was left without a manager for four months at the end of the last financial year.
But the volunteers stepped in and took up the challenge of keeping the shop running efficiently while a new manager was recruited.
Not only did they open seven days a week and not miss a single day's trade, they increased sales by nearly 20 per cent. The shop also had the highest income of the 22 shops in the area.
Several of the volunteers have personal experience of cancer and have built up a reputation in the community for supporting and assisting those going through the same situation.
Laura said, "The Flame of Hope award is a fantastic achievement for the shop and it's wonderful that the hard work of the volunteers has been recognised.
"They are a very dedicated team and work really hard to make sure the shop is just what our customers want.
"I'd also like to thank the people of Seaford for the support they give us, both in donations –which we couldn't do without – and for the loyal customers who come back time and time again."
Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK chief executive, said, "Cancer Research UK has made enormous progress in the fight against cancer.
"However, we have only been able to do this thanks to the dedication and commitment of our volunteers and supporterswithout whom we would not be able to fund outstanding scientists, doctors and nurses.
"Our Flame of Hope awards give us the opportunity to celebrate and say thank you to these enormously generousvolunteers and supporters for the fantastic work they do."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Eastbourne
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
Temperature: 2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
