Led by the national charity Hospice UK, Hospice Care Week is about celebrating the work of hospices all across the UK.

This year, the campaign will highlight the vital role of retail in funding hospice care. As well as our high street shops, we also have a Donation Centre Team, House Clearance Team and eCommerce Team – all working to support St Nic’s.

We will be using the week to celebrate the work of our retail teams plus our fundraisers in helping us raise the £8m a year we need to fund patient care.

Hospice UK's national campaign

Nationally Hospices are facing huge financial pressure. The modest amounts of funding they receive from governments are forcing them to cut their vital services.

All the UK’s hospices rely on fundraising to keep their doors open, and keep caring for people at the end of life.

But those services shouldn’t have to depend on the generosity of the public.

Despite the incredible support of loyal local communities, many hospices now find themselves in difficult financial positions.

St Nic’s is among those Hospice that has been faced with a funding cut.

We don’t think anyone should be left without compassionate care at the end of their life, which is why we are asking people to add to our voice and write to their local MPs and help get the message to government decision-makers that hospices like ours deserve and need better funding.

Customers can shop to their hearts’ content as we have recently extended one of our stores.

Our recently enhanced Barton Road shop is now fully open and shoppers are being encouraged to pop in and browse through the high-quality items on sale.

Our relocated Donation Centre is also open on the Bartons Retail Park too.

Karen Jones, the hospice’s retail support manager, said: “We are also excited that we have been able to take advantage of the opportunity to extend our existing Barton Road store into the unoccupied site next door on the Bartons Retail Park.

“With an extended shop space, we can offer more high-quality pre-loved goods and furniture for sale, and we are very pleased with how everything has come together at the shop. Whether you’ve shopped with us for years, or are popping in for the first time, we have so many items for you to look through.

“With more space, we are also on the lookout for more volunteers to support us, so if you’re interested in giving your time to us, please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you.”

Car boot sales raise thousands

Derek and Lindsay Judd, are a pair of entrepreneurial volunteers who have given a boost of more than £25,000 to us as they give up their Sunday mornings to add to Hospice funds.

Since 2016, St Nicholas Hospice Care volunteers Derek and Lindsay Judd have been going the extra mile for the charity by setting up at Barton Mills Car Boot Sale and selling items.

The pair, who also volunteer in the charity’s Mildenhall shop two half days a week, take goods that cannot be sold in the shop (for various reasons) and would usually find themselves wasted and turn them into money raised for the Hospice’s shop.

Could you become a retail volunteer?

We are always looking for people willing to support our Hospice shops.

Our retail volunteer roles offer a lot of variety and include sorting donations, working on the till, displaying goods for sale, and most importantly ensuring all our customers receive a friendly welcome.

The great thing about our volunteer roles is that we can be flexible, so if you think you can help please get in touch.

Jayne Gurney has volunteered at our Barton Road shop for about the last six years. Here she shares her story.