A one-stop shop to be used to promote awareness of various ‘invisible illnesses' will be open over the half-term holiday next week in Swindon's Brunel Shopping Centre – from Monday, February 13, to Sunday, February 19.
Deb Cooke, founder organiser of Swindon and Wiltshire Foggy's, persuaded the centre's management company to let her have use of the empty shop next to the Sue Ryder premises by the lift for the week to publicise the work of a number of charities, including the ME Association and Fibromyalgia organisations. Deb is now busy sorting out her rota of volunteers who will cover the opening hours.
“Sharon Washbourne, sales and promotion manager at the Brunel Centre, has been brilliant. She's also helped me sort the insurance”, said Deb. “A friend who is a manager of another charity shop in Swindon, has given me the guidelines for prohibited goods – so we’re all legally ready to go.
“We’re very excited, as we believe this will be the first hands on shop of this kind, direct to the public and as it’s the first half-term of the year, we’re hoping to be fairly busy.”
The shop will be open 9am-5.30pm Mon-Sat and 10.30am-4.30pm Sunday. If you can help out for a couple of hours, particularly at the weekend, please contact Deb on 0844 887 2377 (between 12noon and 4pm) or email: deb.cooke@wiltshire-support.co.uk
In addition to raising much needed funds, Deb is encouraging people to pop in and have a chat, and pick up information from a large selection of literature on offer.