NHSPS Refurbish Vacant Space for New Age UK Charity Shop

The Roman Catholic Community Hub was a vacant space that desperately needed refreshing. So, NHSPS colleagues worked with Age UK Lancashire, to refurbish the site and open a new charity shop that will service the broader Lancashire community.

NHSPS colleagues previously attended a small volunteering day in Accrington, which is where they learned about plans for the Burnley charity shop.

NHSPS hard facilities management team worked closely with the charity to ensure their plans could be achieved, converting the disused space into a vibrant shop that will offer local shoppers a new place to pick up pre-loved items and generate essential donations.

Age UK Lancashire work with vulnerable and isolated elderly people to support them living independently and enhance their health and wellbeing. Their ethos is to help elderly people enjoy their later years, and with the new charity shop at the Roman Catholic Community Hub, the charity will be able to further assist elderly people in the Lancashire area.

NHSPS assisted on the lead up to opening day, by carrying out essential repair work as well as supplying extra materials to help keep costs low. NHSPS also got local businesses involved who provided additional free materials.

Local MP, Anthony Higginbotham, joined Age UK Lancashire’s head of retail, Janine Dawson, for the opening day recently.

Justin O’Donnell, Estates Delivery Partner for NHSPS, said: “We’re delighted to have been involved in such a worthwhile project, where we supported a local community and converted a disused building for such a great organisation like Age UK Lancashire. Their work is inspiring, and we are thrilled that we have been able to provide a refurbished space. We have offered our continued support with any future projects, including maintaining other Age UK Lancashire shops across the country, because our customers are at the heart of our business.”

Chris Leahy, Managing Director in the North for NHSPS, said: “It was great to see the hard work that our NHSPS colleagues put into the converted space come to fruition. We are committed to putting our customers at the heart of everything we do, and assisting Age UK Lancashire and providing them with a space to operate and thrive is something we are all very proud of.”

Age UK Lancashire’s Head of Retail, Janine Dawson, said: “[We] would like to thank NHS Property Services for volunteering their time and expertise to help us open our new furniture and clothing shop. We couldn’t have done it without you!”