Hospice Care Week

15 October 2024

This year’s Hospice Care Week celebrated hospice retail and the vital role it plays in funding hospice services.

Hospice Care Week took place between 7th-13th October. We celebrated the brilliant contribution of our Sobell charity shops and our retail volunteers, shared the impact our customers and donors have on our hospice, and spoke to our Director of Retail; read on to find out the most interesting item she’s seen donated to our shops!

Meet the team…

Get to know our Director of Retail, Becky, who has worked at Sobell House Hospice Charity since 2022.

Tell us about an interesting item that’s been donated.

We are lucky enough to receive lots of interesting items – from rare first edition books, to collectible kitchenware, to designer bags. We’ve recently had a vintage, original ABBA voyage jumper donated to our Carterton shop that we will be selling on our eBay shop, and our Kidlington shop just received a piano that folds in half!

Can you share a fact about our charity shops?

Between April 2023 and March 2024, 90,336 bags of donations were gifted to our shops and we sold 137,262 items of preloved clothing.

Why do you think people should shop in charity shops?

You never know what you might find – we sell a huge range of second-hand, new and vintage items – and who doesn’t love a bargain?

Shopping with us is good for the environment, helping to reduce the amount of new goods that need to be made, and ensuring unwanted items can be reused, giving them a second (or third) life.

Finally, our shops are there to serve our community – we love seeing regular and new customers who pop in for a chat and a browse, and the shops raise vital funds for the hospice, which cares for over 4,000 in our local community every year.

Do you recall a donation that has raised lots of money?

Yes, we found a Manchester United World Cup 1966 silver pin that raised £460! Three of their players were in the England squad when they won the World Cup. The pin was found amongst lots of costume jewellery, so we were happy to find this hidden gem.

Thank you to our volunteers

Our shops are becoming more expensive to run, which is why our team of volunteers are vital in keeping our doors open. We are proud to have such a dedicated team of staff and volunteers working in our shops, many of whom have a personal connection to Sobell House.

Keith lost his wife who was cared for by our team, and he has kindly shared what it means to him to give back by volunteering at our Witney shop.

I chose to volunteer at the Witney Warehouse because a few years ago my wife sadly died of cancer. Although she never stayed in the Hospice, we used to go there so they could sort out the appropriate pain relief for her. They are also very caring for the patients’ families who are suffering in a different way. Working in the Warehouse gives me the opportunity to meet and be friends with other volunteers and staff, hear what’s going on in their lives, and have the chance to chat with some of the shoppers.

Become a volunteer