After a dynamic year of trading, Store50, Pilgrims Hospices’ newest shop, celebrates its 1st Birthday on Friday 4th August. Located at 50 St. Peter’s Street, Canterbury, in the heart of the city, the charity shop really has taken pre-loved fashion to the next level. While aiming to make second-hand fashion affordable, chic and eco-friendly at the same time, Store50 has sold goods to the sum of £151,568.08 in its first year of trading.
In the busy year of stocking a diverse range of clothing for all, with a focus on ‘slow fashion’, advocating respect for people and the environment, often through reducing, reusing and recycling, rather than purchasing new items. This trendy little shop has served more than 16,500 customers, and sold almost 28,000 items, whilst saving large quantities of clothing from being sent to land fill.
As part of the birthday celebrations, and to thank our customers, we are giving FREE goody bags; to every customer that purchases on the 4th August. As sustainability is the main focus of Store50, all bags will contain pre-loved items for shoppers.
The store will also be celebrating the success of sportswear sales, by opening a brand new stand along department for branded and chic sports gear. The sportswear hub for savvy Pilgrims shoppers, will be located in the rear of the shop.
The shop has eight volunteers who support across all elements of the retail shop, helping the manger Amy Eldridge to keep the stock vibrant, tagged, sized and priced and steaming ready for sale.
Mandy Hawkett, Retail Area Manager said: “We are so proud of our volunteers, with their support we are achieving something very special for local shoppers, and raising funds for hospice care within the local community. We really appreciate everything they do, and would like to take this opportunity to thank them publicly. The volunteers run the till, meet and greet customers, tidy the shop floor, and keep our shelves stocked. They are always smiling and welcoming; they are the face that customers’ see when they walk through our shop doorway. We couldn’t run our store without their amazing efforts!
Although we thought the shop would particularly appeal to Canterbury’s thriving student population, we are delighted to say our trendy threads appeal to everyone’s budget and suit every wardrobe, our customers come from all walks of life.
Currently trending on our rails are dresses, sportswear and the ever popular rag denim, were you can purchase items from as little as £3.
We’re very excited to be launching the new sportwear department. We hope that by encouraging shoppers to thrift, and be mindful about their purchases, we can help to build a more sustainable retail economy that benefits people and our planet. By shopping with us, you will help to stop items going to landfill, save precious pennies, and also contribute to Pilgrims’ vital services across east Kent – supporting our charity to provide compassionate care to patients and families where and when they need it the most.
Don’t forget to bring your student card, you will receive 10% discount too!
Store50 is open 10:00-18:00 Monday-Saturday and 10:00-16:00 on Sundays.
Pilgrims Hospices care for thousands of local people each year, free of charge, during the most challenging time in their lives. They offer care and support in people’s own homes, in the community, and in their inpatient units as well as running a 24-hour advice line.
9th December 2022
Store50’s Sustainable Santa wins Canterbury BID’s Christmas Window Competition 2022!
Pilgrims Hospices would like to say a huge congratulations to its Store50 shop team, who won Canterbury BID’s Christmas Window Competition in December 2022.
Becky McNicoll, Store50 Supervisor, came up with the idea for Sustainable Santa, in keeping with the shop’s focus on pre-loved and recycled items that are kind to both purses and the planet. A Santa suit was donated to the team by another Pilgrims’ shop, and Amy Eldridge, Store50 Manager, and her mum Thelma set to work dressing Santa and creating the display – using rag denim and a hot glue gun!
Amy said: “Sustainable Santa felt like the right twist on Christmas for our store; with it being our first Christmas in Canterbury, we wanted to showcase our product and creativity whilst keeping with the city’s beautiful festive displays.
“The Canterbury BID judges entered us into the competition on their behalf; we had no idea, so we were completely shocked we’d won the Judges’ Favourite prize! We are all extremely proud of this achievement, not only for the store but for my wonderful staff and volunteers who all had involvement in bringing our vision to life.”
Mandy Hawkett, Area Manager, added: “I’m so proud of how the Store50 team has worked together creatively to deliver such a valuable message about sustainability via their Christmas window display.”
The team can now proudly display their winners’ certificate in the shop, and they also won a bottle of fizz and a shopping voucher for all of their hard work.
Store50 is located at 50 St. Peter’s Street, Canterbury and will be open in the run-up to Christmas.
Thank you so much to everyone who supports Pilgrims Hospices Shops; we really appreciate it, and it makes such a difference to the patients and families we care for across east Kent.
Pilgrims Hospices cares for thousands of local people each year, free of charge, during the most challenging time in their lives. They offer care and support in people’s own homes, in the community and in their inpatient units as well as running a 24-hour advice line.
3rd August 2022
Store50 brings second-hand, chic and eco-friendly fashion to Canterbury
Store50 is Pilgrims Hospices’ newest shop, located at 50 St. Peter’s Street, Canterbury, in the heart of the city on its bustling high street.
By nature, charity shops are known for stocking preloved goods; Store50 is taking that a step further, aiming to make second-hand fashion affordable, chic and eco-friendly at the same time.
Opening on 4 August 2022, it will stock a diverse range of clothing for all, with a focus on “slow fashion” – an approach to producing clothing that advocates respect for people and the environment, often through reducing, reusing and recycling, rather than buying new items.
The shop will particularly appeal to Canterbury’s thriving student population, who will find trendy threads to suit their wardrobes and their budgets.
Store50 also features a dedicated denim section upstairs, a chill out area and vinyl record room downstairs, and a community board where people can leave messages about local news, events and business.
Mandy Hawkett, Pilgrims Retail Area Manager shared: “We’ve been really keen to get this initiative off the ground for some time now, and have been searching for a suitable shop. We are delighted to have secured Store50. The team has pulled together fresh ideas with innovative and creative planning to give the shop something extraordinary for shoppers to enjoy. It looks like high end fashion with all the qualities of sustainability and so much more. We are also offering students a 10% discount, so it really is worth paying us a visit.”
Amy Eldridge, Shop Manager, said: “We’re so excited to be launching this brand new charity shop for the quirky and diverse Canterbury community. We hope that by encouraging shoppers to thrift and be mindful about their purchases, we can help to build a more sustainable retail economy that benefits people and our planet. By shopping with us, you will help to stop items going to landfill, save precious pennies, and also contribute to Pilgrims’ vital services across east Kent – supporting our charity to provide compassionate care to patients and families where and when they need it the most.”
Emily Bartlett and Demi Hale, Supervisors, added: “It’s a re-envisioning of a charity shop, set apart from the mainstream and what people are used to. We hope it will be popular across different age groups, not just students – it’s perfect for the everyday shopper, too!”
Store50 is open 10:00-18:00 Monday-Saturday and 10:00-16:00 on Sundays.
Pilgrims Hospices cares for thousands of local people each year, free of charge, during the most challenging time in their lives. They offer care and support in people’s own homes, in the community and in their inpatient units as well as running a 24-hour advice line.
