How it all came about
A group of the first
Port St Mary shop volunteers
From the very beginning of funding patient care in the 1980s, it was apparent that shop trading would play a big part. The first move came from members of the South Rushen fundraising committee in 1986, who had been offered the use of a shop in Port St Mary, owned by Mr. Bill Holtby, for the Easter period, and what a success it was! That Easter period extended over the next seven years. Thanks to Bill Holtby's generosity, South Rushen Committee volunteers were able to establish shop trading in Port St Mary and show the way forward for the rest of the Island.
Progress with more shops
During this time, the Hospice Publicity and Resources Committee had made progress. Our trading company: Share the Care Ltd was registered in 1988. A shop was leased at 88 Bucks Road, Douglas and later a saleroom facility set up in Richmond Grove, Douglas , to receive donated furniture too large for the shops. A second shop was leased in Arbory Street , Castletown in 1989. The Castletown fundraising committee had shown considerable initiative through operating a stall each Thursday market day in Castletown square and so transferred their time and energies to the shop. The premises were later purchased through the generosity of the Scholl Foundation.
The late William Scholl CBE
Share the Care
Chairman
from 1988-2002
In 1990, an opportunity arose to lease a third shop, this time in Bourne Concourse, Ramsey, followed in 1992 by premises in Market Street, Peel. It was heartening to note that Hospice Shops operated through enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers, enabling the Company to transfer all its proceeds to Hospice Care, which in turn created a reliable annual source of income to fund patient care.
Realizing the importance of this income to Hospice, the Scholl Foundation continued its financial support, providing an opportunity for the Charity to purchase 76 Bucks Road, Douglas in 1994, and in 1998, No. 83, Parliament Street, Ramsey. In 2002 Castletown Shop was purchased, extended and refurbished, providing better space and improved facilities to be followed in 2005 with an extensive expansion of the Douglas Shop - a lovely spacious and attractive outlet for the benefit of everyone.
William Scholl was Chairman of Share the Care Ltd., from 1988 until his death in 2002. We never wish to forget William Scholl's enormous legacy to the Charity, therefore the Tribute and Appreciation from the Hospice website in 2002, has been reproduced on this Hospice Shops website.
Share the Care leased No 2, Main Road , Onchan in 1999. The shop soon became a popular venue for Onchan shoppers and was quickly established as a village asset. From September 2006, Onchan shop operates from what was Lloyds Pharmacy at No. 35 Main Road; a much bigger premises.
Salerooms are a success
The success of Saturday saleroom furniture sales in Douglas , combined with a requirement to move premises in the South, led the Directors to lease a double unit in Port Erin in 1995. This allowed the volunteers to sell donated clothes, bric-a-brac, and now furniture.
Our Peel shop, previously in Douglas Street , moved to Michael Street in 2003. Twelve months later the adjacent shop became vacant providing the opportunity to open a saleroom facility - a very popular move for Peel customers and those who travel from other areas to specifically visit the Peel Hospice Shop.
Salerooms have become a large percentage of Share the Care income. The largest of our Saleroom facility being in Allan Street , Douglas. Our furniture business here has been a continuing success story with long queues by 1pm on Saturdays. Again, the Scholl Foundation provided the finance for the Charity to purchase the premises, which have since undergone renovation and refurbishment, ensuring better use of the premises.
The Allan Street Saleroom has received further renovation in 2004, enabling the upper floor to be used for some sales and as a base for a Fancy Dress Hire Business. Share the Care is always anxious to ensure every possible use is made of the donated goods. To this end the Saleroom is also used for sorting goods, enabling any discarded clothes and shoes to be sent for recycling, providing further income for the Charity.
As time has moved on a number of established practices have expanded. In addition to the clothing and bric-a-brac shop, a furniture outlet was leased in Parliament Street , Ramsey. Such was the success that a more spacious showroom opened in Waterloo Road , Ramsey, and continues to be an attraction to customers from the north of the Island requiring pre-owned furniture.
Share the Care benefits all
The Directors were very much aware that Share the Care was proving to be a tremendous community project having many benefits for everyone:
Hospice shops provide the opportunity for people to help Hospice through the donation of surplus goods.
Through Hospice shops those who wish can become involved directly as shop volunteers, giving time and effort in a practical way.
Such is the wide variety of goods available that people often purchase something that they would otherwise have been unable to afford.
In summary, the income from sales, in turn provided patient care. Therefore the whole Island is involved in Sharing the Care.
The Company's continuing development, and the lack of office space at St. Bridget's, meant that it was necessary to move out of the Fundraising Department and into an office over the Buck's Road Shop, enabling Share the Care to concentrate fully on its trading activities.
A scene from the July 2006 Flogit Day
Here again is a story of expansion. The introduction of "on line" trading, including Christmas cards and gifts plus central co-ordination of all Share the Care business has made the office facilities a hub of activity. The close proximity to Allan Street has helped to provide a more convenient and efficient service to the advantage of everyone, including the van drivers.
Added to all this are the huge "Flog it Days," which again are proving to be a huge operation with hundreds of people visiting Nobles Park to view the Car Boot Sale with a difference. There is a large amount of organisation involved but the financial rewards are much appreciated.
As the story of Share the Care progresses it is obvious that the trading company never stands still. Excellent management; enthusiastic volunteers and a caring public enable people throughout the Island to have the advantage of these excellent trading facilities.
Share the Care's dividend to Hospice
Share the Care has consistently paid over £400,000 annually for many years but £432,700 to Hospice in 2006 and £460,000 in 2007. This is a tremendous community project relying on the generosity of over 200 volunteers giving their time, donors providing goods to sell, furniture, clothes or bric-a-brac. Most important of all are the customers who make their purchases and often donate their small change. The overall operation embraces the principle of SHARING THE CARE with patients and their families.
The challenge for 2008 and beyond is to raise more through the expanded trading etc. Watch this space - there is something new happening all the time - it could be just what you have always wanted!
Please remember that Share the Care allows very little to go to waste. All unsold clothes and shoes are bagged and sold for recycling, bringing further funds to Hospice.