I had the great pleasure of helping to open the newly refurbished Thames Hospicecare shop in Dedworth Road on Friday.

The refit was made possible through the kindness of donors and has brightened up the shop making it more attractive to shoppers. The charity hopes for greater sales as one of the problems they face is that people often only shop in charity shops for seasonal items such as Christmas cards whereas the shop actually stocks a variety of gifts throughout the year. Since one fifth of the funds required to keep the Hospice running comes from the shops, it is vital that they can attract and keep customers coming back.

Thames Hospicecare runs two hospices – one in Windsor and one in Ascot - and provides local people, often elderly, with palliative care if they are diagnosed with cancer or other potentially life-shortening illness.

There is no doubt that a diagnosis of a terminal illness can be devastating, not only for the patient, but also for their families and loved ones. Often, patients don’t just need medical care for their symptoms but emotional and pastoral care too and hospices such as this provide a vital support system for families at a time of great upset and stress.

We are certainly fortunate to have such a dedicated team of volunteers and staff on our doorstep and I would encourage all those who would like to support Thames Hospicecare to visit the new shop on Dedworth Road. You’ll be surprised by the bright and attractive surroundings, but also the excellent range of new and used goods.