Chicken shed turned charity shop wins Best in South East award
Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity's shop in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, has taken the title of South East winner in The UK’s Favourite Charity Shop Awards. The shop was one of more than 5,000 that were nominated across the UK and claimed the winning spot in a public vote involving more than 40,000 votes. The presentation will take place at the Haddenham shop on 22nd October.
Florence Nightingale Hospice supports patients with life-limiting illnesses, and their families, across Buckinghamshire and its borders. The Charity now has 20 shops, and the Haddenham shop opened in 2019. The site was formerly a farm in rural Buckinghamshire, and the shop used to be a chicken shed.
Lily Caswell, Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity Head of Retail & Volunteering, said: “We are absolutely delighted that our Haddenham shop has been voted the south-east winner in the UK’s Favourite Charity Shop Awards. Thank you to everyone who voted for us – it means so much to us all to be recognised in this way.
“Our Haddenham shop is unique as it’s based in a shed that used to be full of chickens but is now a wonderful shop run by an amazing team of staff and a whopping 84 volunteers, raising vital funds for hospice care.
“We are so grateful to all of the volunteers, staff, donors and customers that make our Haddenham shop a very special shop – thank you again to everybody who voted.”
Charity shops are more than a place to pick up a second-hand bargain – they are community hubs that employ local people, help volunteers find friendship, and offer support to those with first-hand experience of the causes they support. This sentiment was reflected in the nomination stage, when supporters were asked to share what they loved about the shop they were nominating.
Robin Osterley OBE, Chief Executive of the Charity Retail Association, said: “Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to everyone who voted. The volume of support the Awards received this year not only demonstrates the public’s passion for their favourite stores but really shows the impact they have within their local communities and the difference they make to people’s lives.”