Severn Hospice celebrates winning national award

Severn Hospice, which provides free specialist care to families living with an incurable illness across Shropshire and North Powys, raises £1 million a year between all its charity shops.

Now, almost 30 years on, its shops have been awarded the title of Outstanding Charity Retailer of the Year.

This called for a double celebration on Monday in Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury, where the shop in the village was celebrating raising £20,000 since it opened two years ago.

The efforts of workers and staff were celebrating with a whole host of activities taking place, events for children to take part in and tea and cake for the elderly people who turned up to celebrate.

Shop manager Gail Hill was delighted to be able to celebrate the charity's work, and heaped praise on the people who have kept it going all these years.

She said: "It is fantastic to receive this award, especially as we are a charity that is entirely funded through donations and through the money made in our shops.

"The celebration was great and was a chance for us to say thank you to the workers, and to the public who have kept us going.

"Here in Bayston Hill we have raised £20,000 profit in two years, and we wouldn't be here without the public.

"Since it began we have raised £1 million, and people value the work that is done by such a local charity."

Since it began in 1989, the hospice has supported more than 27,000 patients and their loved ones, with around 2,800 people now receiving help each year.

The charity is separate from the NHS, and is funded by donations, fundraisers, gifts in wills and grants.