Tag: Waterloo shop

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Rita’s courage and years of support

We’d like to shine a spotlight on one of our wonderful volunteers – Rita Evans, from Hyde, who has received her badge for volunteering for an incredible 10 years at our Waterloo shop in Ashton-under-Lyne.

Rita, who is 79 years old, has brought kindness, laughter and friendship to everyone she meets.

She first joined the shop after moving to the area – she could see it from her flat window and thought volunteering there would be a lovely way to support Willow Wood, meet people and make new friends.

And that’s exactly what she did! As shop manager Kellie Moulton says: “Rita has made the most amazing friends whilst volunteering at our shop, enjoying nights out and holidays with them for which she’s forever grateful. She’s loved all the laughs and chats with our fantastic customers, and every minute of her time helping and supporting the Hospice as it’s such a special place.”

Recently, Rita has been undergoing treatment for lung cancer, but her positivity and dedication to supporting Willow Wood have never wavered.

Rita raised a fantastic £924.42 towards patient care at the Hospice.

In fact, she decided to turn a difficult moment into something inspiring. After being told her hair would fall out during chemotherapy, Rita chose to have her head shaved in the shop – surrounded by her friends, family, and loyal customers – to raise funds for the Hospice she loves so dearly.

One Saturday afternoon in October, Kellie took up the clippers and carried out the head shave. It was an emotional moment, but one filled with warmth, laughter and pride as Rita raised a fantastic £924.42 towards patient care at the Hospice.

“When Rita joined us, she quickly became my sidekick,” Kellie added. “She came in most days at the start and learned sorting, pricing and till work but then soon learned how to open up and close the shop, cashing up and banking, so she was able to cover my days off and my holidays.

“Without Rita by my side, I would have been lost some days. She has a heart of gold and is always willing to help no matter what. She has played a massive part in the shop from supporting me and other volunteers.”

Rita says she felt emotional but happy to do something good out of a horrible situation. She’s loved her role in the shop but, more than anything, she treasures the wonderful friendships she’s made along the way.

Thank you, Rita, for everything you’ve done and continue to do for Willow Wood Hospice.

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Waterloo shop bounces back and looks good as new

They say lightning never strikes twice, but unfortunately for our Waterloo shop in Ashton-under-Lyne, wayward wheels certainly did!

After not one, but two car park prangs left the front window and side of the shop looking a little worse for wear, we were forced to close off parts of the store while repairs took place.

But after a spell of scaffolding, sawdust, and sheer determination, we’re thrilled to say: we’re back to full capacity!

A huge thank you goes to our incredible staff and volunteers, who took it all in their stride, keeping spirits high and business ticking over even with half the shop out of action.

Their patience and perseverance have been nothing short of inspiring.

It’s business as usual at our Waterloo shop!

We also send out a huge THANK YOU to our loyal customers who supported us when our floor-space was significantly reduced, ensuring the community continued to raise vital funds for hospice care.

And, of course, a massive shoutout to the brilliant builders who worked their magic to restore our shop to its former glory – good as new and sturdier than ever!

Now, with the repairs complete and the shop fully open once more, there’s never been a better time to pop in, browse the bargains, and bag yourself a gem. Whether you’re after a thrifty find or just fancy a natter with our friendly team, we’d love to see you!

So, here’s to smooth parking, solid walls, and a shop that’s standing strong – the Waterloo shop is well and truly back in business!

The shop is based at 357 Oldham Road (postcode OL7 9NE) and is open Mondays to Saturdays from 9am to 4pm.

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Hospice shops introduce new smoother system for furniture donations

To make the most of every donation, Willow Wood Hospice’s charity shops now have a new system for fast and free furniture collection.

It comes as the Hospice’s furniture donation vans have also been given a much-needed makeover.

Having looked a little worse for wear previously, the refreshed fleet have a clear and contemporary new livery with details of the updated donation process.

With the newly revamped vans hitting the road across Tameside and Glossop, the Hospice is rolling out a smoother system for swifter furniture collections.

Previously, donors had to call the Purchase and Donate (PAD) shop in Stalybridge to arrange a pick-up, but the process has now been streamlined to make it more efficient.

Now, anyone looking to donate furniture can contact Paul King, Warehouse and Logistics Manager, and his team directly.

You can take photographs of the item(s) you wish to donate and send them via WhatsApp on 07549 275158 with your name and address including postcode, as well as a description of the item(s).

If you don’t have WhatsApp, you can submit your photographs by filling out a simple form on the Hospice website at https://willowwood.org.uk/furniture-collection/

For those unable to send photographs, you can call 0161 669 4849 to speak to the team to arrange collection.

Our Hospice furniture donation vans were looking a little worse for wear. But fear not, because we’ve given them a much-needed makeover!

Paul said: “It’s essential that we have as much information as possible about the donation because we cannot accept everything and we would hate to waste anybody’s time in turning up to pick up an item that we would be unable to accept – e.g. a sofa without a fire label or furniture that we wouldn’t be able to sell because of wear and tear.”

The new process means the Hospice’s team can make the best use of the space at the Donation Centre in Ashton-under-Lyne, plan collections more effectively, and get donations into shops quicker than ever.

About the new system, Paul added: “It’s all about better stock distribution, smoother sales, and faster collections.

“This new system isn’t just making collections easier—it’s set to boost furniture sales and improve stock across all three shops! The PAD and Waterloo will continue to sell furniture, but without the added pressure of handling logistics, freeing them up to focus on providing the best possible service to our customers.

“Plus, we’ve simplified booking system, so it’s now easier than ever to donate! We introduced a WhatsApp function which is already been a game-changer, letting people send photos and a description of their donation for a quicker response.

“From first contact to collection, the whole process can now be wrapped up in as little as three days, depending on what suits the donor—making it faster, simpler, and more efficient for everyone!”

If you see the new-look vans out and about, tag Willow Wood Hospice on their Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn platforms.

The Hospice, based in Ashton-under-Lyne, provides specialist, compassionate and dignified care to patients from Tameside and Glossop with any life-limiting illness and those closest to them.

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Sixth Form students give their time to Hospice shops

Seven students from Ashton Sixth Form College have spent some of their time volunteering recently in our Willow Wood Hospice charity shops.

Ahmed Cali, Adam Dixon, Armaan Hussain, Oliver Hutchfield, Nathan Nyoni, Alexandra Serban and Maurice Owhonda Utchay generously gave their time to support our retail operations.

The seven of them, all second-year A-Level Business students, gave a combined 350 hours volunteering at The Purchase and Donate (PAD) in Stalybridge, as well as at our Waterloo and Ashton-under-Lyne shops.

The students had to complete 40 hours of work experience each as part of their course, but they all ended up doing 50 instead – between 24th February and 3rd March.

Ahmed and Maurice volunteering at our Ashton town centre shop

Adam, 18, from Dukinfield admitted he didn’t know a lot about the Hospice beforehand. However, he learned a lot more during his time volunteering, including that the income generated from our charity shops directly supports patient services at the Hospice.

Adam commented on his time working at The PAD in Stalybridge: “It was fantastic. It helped me improve my confidence and other skills like communication and time management.

“When the delivery van came in, I helped move all of the sofas and cabinets into the store, and I carried items from the store into the van to deliver to customers. I also put donated items onto shelves and helped customers when they needed support.”

The work of the students not only supported the Hospice’s shops, but it also gave them opportunities to build their skills and gain more work experience.

Adam being interviewed at Ashton Sixth Form College by Ciaran Greenwood during his placement with the Hospice’s Communications team

Adam further commented on his future ambitions, seeking entrepreneurial goals: “I want to start sharing, like going into investments and start going from there. So just get a job somewhere, save up money and start investing it into various businesses.”

He enjoyed it so much that Adam is continuing his volunteering at Willow Wood, working at The PAD on Fridays during his free periods at college. We wish him and the rest of our amazing student volunteers the best of luck in their future endeavours.

Willow Wood Volunteer Services Manager, Lisa Pye, had this to say about the students’ efforts: “We are very thankful for the amazing support that the students at Ashton Sixth Form College have given us. Volunteers are vitally important to help support the work that Willow Wood Hospice does. We’ve had fantastic feedback from the retail managers about all of the hard work they have done, and we hope they enjoyed it and taken something from the experience.”

If you want to learn more about the volunteering opportunities that are available at Willow Wood Hospice, please visit www.willowwood.org.uk/volunteering to express your interest.

By Ciaran Greenwood

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Waterloo News hops to it for Willow Wood

Our heartfelt thanks go out to the team behind Waterloo News, who have once again shown amazing community spirit by supporting our Bunny Hop fundraiser.

Established in 2019 to provide residents in the Waterloo area of Ashton-under-Lyne with local updates, Waterloo News is a Facebook page run by dedicated locals Dave Howarth and Lee Woods.

Before Covid, they took over the page with a mission to not only share local news but also support good causes in the community.

Their efforts are further strengthened by Emma Jones from Perry Jones Funeral Services, located just a stone’s throw from our Clearance Outlet and Donation Centre, and close to our Waterloo shop.

Together, this dedicated team has been key in gathering Creme Egg donations for our Bunny Hop fundraiser for three consecutive years.

This year, they collected an impressive 445 eggs, bringing their overall total to over 1,400 eggs – which is also testament to the generosity of the wider Waterloo community.

The sweet treats are given to every child taking part as a reward for hopping for the Hospice.

“The Hospice’s Waterloo shop is local to us and we want to support local businesses and organisations as best we can,” said Dave.

Emma added: “I’m very aware of the donations the Hospice relies on to keep going and it’s great that we can support an organisation that’s very local to us.”

We are grateful for their ongoing support, which makes a difference to our fundraising efforts. Thank you to Dave, Lee and Emma – you truly embody the spirit of community!

To learn more about our Bunny Hop fundraiser and how you can get involved, click here.

EGG-CELLENT: Pictured are Emma Jones (left) from Perry Jones Funeral Services and Dave Howarth from Waterloo News (centre) delivering some Creme Eggs to Kellie Moulton, our Waterloo shop manager. 

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eBay coining it in: A treasure trove at Waterloo

In a delightful discovery that felt straight out of a treasure-hunting adventure, our Waterloo shop recently stumbled upon a hidden gem: over 100 old coins!

Among this fascinating find was a stunning 1658 Oliver Cromwell commemorative medal. Talk about a historic haul!

Once the coins were uncovered, Waterloo’s manager Kellie knew they had struck gold – well, maybe silver!

Kellie quickly sent the treasure trove over to our brilliant eBay team, where the ever-enthusiastic Nicola jumped in with both feet. For six whole days, she rolled up her sleeves, diving deep into research to uncover the story behind each coin. Talk about coin-queror skills!

After meticulously photographing and listing each coin, Nicola’s hard work paid off in a big way. The final fundraising total? A whopping £8,715.00!

That’s right – thanks to teamwork, tenacity, and a dash of treasure-hunting spirit, we’ve added a considerable boost to our funds.

So here’s to the collaborative efforts between our community, our retail team and the eBay team who have turned these coins into patient care! Keep up the fantastic work, team!

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Inspiring teenage volunteer raises thousands for Willow Wood

An inspirational teenager from Ashton-under-Lyne organised her own event to raise a phenomenal £3,800 in support of patient care at Willow Wood Hospice.

Neev Patel put on a special celebration at Ashton Rugby Club in June, attended by more than 100 people.

The 15-year-old, who is in Year 11 at Hulme Grammar School in Oldham, has felt a connection with the Hospice from a young age and volunteers at our Waterloo shop at weekends.

She has always wanted to hold a fundraising event for Willow Wood and the opportunity arose one day at school.

“As part of a Higher Project Qualification (HPQ) we could write a 2,000 word essay on a topic of your choice or create an artefact – like someone in an older year group restored a Volkswagen,” Neev explained.

“I thought I’m not going to be boring so I pitched the idea to my school supervisor of doing a charity event and he thought it was amazing!

“I found a venue, organised a buffet, I contacted a balloon lady for decorations and emailed lots of businesses for raffle prizes. I got a £200 Booking.com voucher and a four ball at The Mere in Knutsford amongst others.

Neev hosted a charity event to raise funds for the Hospice 

“I invited lots of people, it was £5 a ticket for entry – which all went towards the total amount raised for Willow Wood. We had an auction on the night – one person paid £300 for one of the prizes. It was a really lovely night, it was successful and I really enjoyed it.

“Everyone who attended had the same initiative to spend money knowing it was going to a good cause. My family and friends came and I also reserved a table for the staff and volunteers I work with in the Waterloo shop, who all had a good time.

“I did a speech on the night, I said they were there and thanked them. They received a massive round of applause which was really nice.”

Neev’s mum works in the local healthcare system and has established connections with staff at the Hospice, which is how Neev was introduced to what Willow Wood is all about.

“My mum is a nurse working in Hattersley so she knows a lot of people including Wendy, from the Dementia Support team at the Hospice who I’ve got to know well,” said Neev.

“I’ve always known the Hospice and people that Willow Wood has helped including my grandad. I started raising money when I was quite young, around 10 years old, and we have always been to events like the Christmas Fair.”

Neev has been supporting the Hospice since the age of 13

Neev initially started volunteering for the Hospice as part of her Duke of Edinburgh award when she was 13 years old – helping out at the Waterloo shop on Saturdays.

“I was supposed to do an hour a week for three months and I did four hours a week for two years! I still volunteer there now and I don’t think they want to get rid of me any time soon!

“I really enjoy it, it’s something different and I feel like I am giving back. I sort through donations, price them up and put them in the shop. I go through the clothing rails, I sometimes work on the till too, I do a bit of everything really.”

Neev loves the people most about volunteering and has become a popular member of the team at our shop on Oldham Road.

“Whether it’s the volunteers or the customers, it’s nice to have a conversation with people and I have got to know them,” she told us.

“People will come in and we can have a laugh as we go along. As volunteers, we all know we are there for a purpose and you feel wanted there.

“My fellow volunteers will message me asking how my day was in the shop when they’re not there and I have formed a really good connection with them.”

Neev with shop manager Kellie and some of our volunteers at the Waterloo shop

Willow Wood could not provide vital services without volunteers, who have a positive impact on our community, and Neev would strongly recommend volunteering to other young people in particular.

Explaining the benefits to her, she said: “You grow as a person, you get more social skills so I can talk to anyone about anything now. I understand the way people live their lives and their opinions on things a lot more. I have gained a lot from it and learned new skills which are great for my CV in the future.

“I have become friends with some volunteers from the shop who are in their 70s and I have learned from them.”

Neev has aspirations of becoming a marine biologist in the future and is also keen to continue charity work and supporting the Hospice, around her important studies.

“Willow Wood is just a lovely place,” she concluded. “Everyone is so lovely and you can get on with anyone.”