Coffee, Furniture, Books and Wedding Gowns – A Charity Shop With a Difference Opens in Maidstone

July 25, 2012 - PRLog -- Coffee was brewing and the rails were lined with elegant bridal gowns at the grand opening of a new charity shop with a difference in Maidstone.

The opening, held on Thursday 19th July, gave people the chance to see for themselves this spectacular new Heart of Kent Hospice shop in the centre of the town.

Crowds gathered as the Hospice’s Patron Lady Monckton welcomed everyone to the new King Street shop, before praising the dedication of the hospice staff and volunteers. After her introduction, Maidstone and the Weald MP Helen Grant declared the deluxe charity shop officially open with the snip of a yellow ribbon.

The opening was a culmination of many people’s visions – and everybody played their part on the big day. Volunteers took to the tills to serve shoppers who arrived early to scout for bargains, whilst assistant manager Szabolcs Vass and his team kept the coffees coming as customers flocked to sample the culinary delights in the chic coffee bar.

It would be difficult not to enjoy what this unique charity shop has to offer – where furniture, bric-a-brac, posh frocks, wedding gowns and a coffee shop are drawn together. The bridal suite stole the show as shoppers marvelled in the shop’s glamorous selection. With its plush seating area and smart dressing room it is just waiting to be taken over by a bride-to-be and her entourage!

Downstairs, the shop houses many home make-over items from lamps to three-piece suites. Alongside its retail items, the coffee lounge will make an ideal meeting place for any occasion or group of people.

Director of Income Generation Nigel Monks, said: “I want to say a huge thank-you to everyone involved. We are grateful for their help and dedication and without them the project would not have been possible”.

The King Street shop will be able to give the Heart of Kent Hospice a secure income for the vital palliative care services it provides.

He added:  “The profits from this new venture will contribute much needed funding towards the cost of maintaining the service and care provided by the Heart of Kent Hospice to the residents of Maidstone, Malling and Tonbridge. Our King Street shop has been designed to create a unique charity shop experience and we hope the selection of cakes, snacks and beverages in the new coffee shop will tempt local shoppers to call in on a regular basis”.

Maidstone resident Julie Parker, visited the shop on its opening day, and after browsing the stands she sat down to enjoy a cup of coffee with a friend. She said: “It’s a great idea to have a coffee shop in here. “I regularly come into town for a coffee in the week and would much rather pay my money to a charity shop. I will tell all of my friends”

The hospice is now calling out for donations of all shapes and sizes, so whether you have a wedding gown that you are ready to part with, a prom dress you won't wear again or never even took the tags off, or items sitting in a bag from a summer clear-out, please bring them along to King Street, or any other Heart of Kent Hospice shop.

The Heart of Kent Hospice is on Facebook – www.facebook.com/HeartOfKentHospice.