Blow for hospice charity forced to close shop in Alford

A Lincolnshire charity says it regrets having to permanently close its shop in Alford due to the impact of the pandemic.
St Barnabas Hospice in Lincoln will continue to serve residents in the Alford area.St Barnabas Hospice in Lincoln will continue to serve residents in the Alford area.
St Barnabas Hospice in Lincoln will continue to serve residents in the Alford area.

The St Barnabas Hospice shop, on the town’s High Street, has been serving the local community for 33 years, including 27 at its current location.

Caroline Peach, Head of Retail at St Barnabas Hospice said: “Unfortunately despite our best efforts, the shop has had a low turnover for some time.

"It was forced to close last year when the first lockdown was announced.

"Subsequently, we have struggled to get it back open again due to staffing issues. Sadly, this is what prompted the review.

“The Alford community has given this shop wonderful support over the years, and our team of staff and volunteers have been fantastic ambassadors of the Hospice and a pleasure to work with. For a large part of its trading, the shop was run solely by volunteers, and we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has given their time.

“We are also so grateful to everyone who has spent money and donated items there during this time. We have conducted an in-depth review, and sadly, it will not be cost-effective for us to keep the store open any longer.”

The hospice in Lincoln is still caring for people living with life-limiting or terminal illnesses in the Alford area. This care is being delivered by the dedicated North-East Community Services team both in person and virtually.

Chris Wheway, Chief Executive at St Barnabas added: “Our commitment to providing care and services within the Alford area remains unchanged and the clinical teams at St Barnabas are still working hard on the front line to give patients and their families high-quality, compassionate care.

“With an ageing and growing population, and various health implications left behind as a result of the coronavirus, our care is needed now more than ever. I hope that those who would normally support our Alford charity shop will be able to find alternative ways to support the Hospice during these difficult times.”

St Barnabas Hospice is still operating charity shops close to Alford. The closest to the town will now be in Skegness (14 miles), Spilsby (eight miles) or Mablethorpe (eight miles). These shops are temporarily closed because of the lockdown, but the Hospice is looking forward to welcoming visitors back once restrictions are lifted.