New charity shop to support young adult care

A new charity shop, supported by St. Elizabeth Hospice has recently opened in Ipswich town centre, but it doesn’t look like your typical charity shop!   Zest, a new concept in charity retail, opened its doors in Queen Street at the end of June, with the aim of generating funds to support young adults, from the age of 14 upwards, living in the area with a progressive or terminal illness.

Helen Finlinson, Young Adult Care and Transition Lead for St Elizabeth Hospice said: “It is not widely known that St. Elizabeth Hospice already offers care for young adults in Suffolk from the age of 14 and, through Zest, we are looking to expand our care options to include, in the first instance, supported weekend breaks – a service that is not currently widely available in our region. We are already a centre of excellence in the subject of young adult care and currently share our experience and expertise with other health professionals around the country.”

Rachel Backshall, Director of Income Generation and Marketing at the charity, added: “The needs of these young people are complex and not totally understood because, in many cases, the challenges their care presents are new; but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t rise to the challenge. By raising financial support through Zest we will be looking for the first time to offer hospice care for this age group beyond our traditional hospice geographic boundaries, offering solutions across East Anglia.”

The new Zest shop sells a range of items targeting a young adult audience.  There is also a community room, which can be booked for people to meet and used for a range of activities.

As a large charity shop, there are opportunities for groups of volunteers from local businesses who would like to help, with roles such as donation sorting and pricing stock. Further Zest shops are set to open around the eastern region and groups of volunteers will also be needed to help renovate, decorate and stock them.

If your business is interested in getting involved, email corporateteam@stelizabethhospice.org.uk or call 01473 723600.