Shopping with heart: How Pilgrims Shops power hospice care
Every bargain, every bag donated, every volunteer shift – it all adds up to something extraordinary.
Across east Kent, Pilgrims Hospices’ 33 shops are more than stores; they’re vibrant community hubs where preloved treasures find new homes, people shop affordably, and every purchase helps to fund hospice care.
More than shops: They are welcoming spaces on the high street
Pilgrims Shops provide:
Affordable clothing and household essentials
Friendly, welcoming spaces on the high street
Opportunities to volunteer, learn new skills, and connect with others
Shopping second-hand also supports the planet by keeping items out of landfill, reducing demand for new products, and lowering CO₂ emissions all while raising income to support Pilgrims Hospices care services.
Ramsgate: Plans to expand into neighbouring units, offering more stock and space
Retail events making a difference
Special sales like Kilo, Media, Jumble, Table Top, and pop-up events bring new shoppers, create excitement, and raise more for hospice care – all in a fun, community-focused way.
Volunteer voices
“I started volunteering to give back, but I’ve gained so much. The team feels like family, and knowing our efforts help local hospice care makes every shift worthwhile.”
– Pilgrims shop volunteer
Be part of something special
Shop Find preloved fashion, furniture, books, and homeware.
DonateTurn unwanted items into someone else’s treasure.
Together, we’re turning everyday shopping into extraordinary care.
Ashford Discount shop
Pilgrims Retail by the numbers
By December 2025, our shops achieved remarkable results:
1,145,646 items sold
297,714 clothing items given a second life
172,065 household items rehomed
122,095 books passed on to new readers
61,208 toys enjoyed by families
10,095 furniture items sold with 1,723 deliveries
4,645 new Gift Aid donors
All made possible by 635 volunteers and 102 staff – every figure tells a story of generosity.
Pilgrims Hospices provides compassionate, specialist care free of charge to thousands of people in east Kent each year who are living with life-limiting conditions. Support is offered in patients’ homes, in the community, and at our three hospice sites in Canterbury, Thanet and Ashford. We also run a 24-hour advice line.
Pilgrims Hospices Broadstairs shop, located on the High Street, will be closed for approximately six weeks starting in February 2024 for extensive building renovations. The upper level of the building will be transformed into flats, which will generate important income to support the local hospice services.
During the closure, the shop will undergo a complete refurbishment, promising a fresh and inviting space for customers when it reopens in the spring. To celebrate the relaunch, a special “Brand New with Tags” event is planned, featuring a curated collection of high-quality items.
While the Broadstairs shop is temporarily closed, the dedicated staff and volunteers are not taking a break. They will be lending their support to other Pilgrims shops in the area, offering their support to help maintain the charity’s ongoing retail operations.
Pilgrims Hospices is grateful for the community’s continued support during this development and looks forward to welcoming everyone back to the Broadstairs shop with renewed enthusiasm and an expanded offering.
A Pilgrims Hospices spokesperson stated, “We are delighted to have the opportunity to renovate our shop while the upper-floor flat conversions take place. I’m sure people will love our new pre-loved shopping experience, and we will look forward to welcoming all our existing and new customers into the shop when we re-open.”
During the anticipated six week shop closure, donations can be taken to Pilgrims Hospices Tivoli Brooks Warehouse, Unit C, Tivoli Brooks, Margate CT9 5FG where they will be gratefully received. The Tivoli Brook location has the added benefit of parking directly outside. Pilgrims shops are also located in Cliftonville, Ramsgate, Margate, Westgate, and Birchington. Details can be found on Pilgrims Hospice’s website, www.pilgrimshospices.org/shop-with-us.
Each year, Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to over 2,500 people in east Kent who are coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity supports patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress.
29th September 2023
Gift Aid Day – #tickthebox
Gift Aid Awareness Day takes place on October 5th, 2023, and is an excellent opportunity for Pilgrims Hospices and its dedicated team of staff, and volunteers to engage with supporters and emphasise the importance of Gift Aid in boosting charitable donations.
Gift Aid is a tax relief system that allows registered charities, like Pilgrims Hospices to claim an additional 25% on eligible donations, and it comes at no extra cost to the individual donors.
Tim Stewart, Pilgrims Hospices Head of Retail said: “We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to our supporters for their commitment to Pilgrims Hospices. Donations to our shops and warehouses are invaluable in supporting the essential work we do. Our charity claimed over £200k last year, and would love to claim more!
“By choosing to Gift Aid your donations, you are allowing our charity to reclaim tax on your contributions from the government. This means that for the donated items sold in our shops; every £1 raised, Pilgrims Hospices can receive an additional 25p, making your contributions go much further.”
Every additional 25p is making an impact, enabling Pilgrims to provide more care, support for more patients, or more investment in essential facilities and equipment.
No Extra Cost:
We can’t emphasise enough, that Gift Aid doesn’t cost supporters anything extra. It’s simply a way to maximise the value of their donations. Their generosity can go even further without any additional financial burden.
The challenges that charities like Pilgrims Hospices face, are considerable in today’s environment, including increased demand for services and rising costs. Every Gift Aid donation makes a significant difference in meeting these challenges. That’s why your Gift Aid is more critical than ever.
How to #tickthebox: It’s a simple process and only needs to be completed once; our friendly staff and volunteers can assist with completing the form in store. If you would like to get in touch with a member of the Pilgrims team regarding Gift Aid, please email [email protected].
We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to our supporters for their commitment to Pilgrims Hospices
Tim – Pilgrims
At Pilgrims Hospiceswe have a simple vision of a community where people with a life limiting illness, and their family and friends are supported, and empowered to live well in mind and body until the very last moment of their life.
Your Gift Aid can play a pivotal role in achieving it. We hope our dedicated friends and supporters will continue to care for our charity and be an integral part of making a meaningful impact on the lives of those we care for.
Pilgrims Hospices has 31 shops throughout east Kent, ranging from furniture warehouses, vintage clothing, specialist book shops, thrifty discount stores, and our general stores featuring contents to suit everyone. You can find information on our website pilgrimshospices.org/get-involved-shop-with-us.
Each year Pilgrims’ gives care to thousands of people across east Kent. Care is provided from three hospice sites in Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet as well as in patients’ own homes. To offer these services to patients and their families the charity must raise approximately £11 million each year from the generous local community.
