A hospice charity caring for terminally ill children in Wiltshire has opened a new charity shop on the High Street.
Helen & Douglas House's new shop opened at 114 High Street in Marlborough on Thursday, August 8, and staff says that the shop is vital for keeping the hospice going.
Customers can browse a mix of donated second-hand items and designer clothing including brands such as Ralph Lauren, Reiss, Hobbs, Joules and more.
The shop sits in the listed building that was formerly the Susie Watson shop, which has now moved to 109 High Street.
“We are delighted to be opening a new shop in Marlborough," said Jason Hutchinson, from Helen & Douglas House.
"It is a stylish boutique-style shop with quirky industrial fittings which creates a great ambience.
"You will also find some very high-quality designer women’s, menswear and accessories as well as great homeware."
The money raised from this new Marlborough shop will go directly to helping local terminally ill children and their families in Wiltshire, such as 15-year-old Sienna Keuser who came along to the opening.
Sienna, from Marlborough, lives with Dravet's Syndrome which is a severe and life-limiting form of Epilepsy that results in frequent seizures and challenging complications.
Speaking at the opening of the Marlborough shop, her mum Janet said: "My daughter, Sienna, has a rare genetic condition that has presented our family with numerous obstacles and daily challenges.
"The journey has often felt overwhelming, filled with uncertainty and emotional strain, alongside endless medical appointments and hospital stays.
"But from the first visit, it was clear that the staff at Helen & Douglas House were not just focused on Sienna’s medical needs, they were committed to caring for our entire family.
"Without Helen and Douglas House, we would have reached a breaking point long ago."
The new Marlborough shop is the 24th charity shop that Helen & Douglas House has opened since 2003, and is the first one its opened in almost 10 years.
In 2023/24 the Helen & Douglas House shops raised £1.4m to help local terminally ill children, and the charity relies heavily on these shops to fund its services.
"We hope that the residents and visitors of Marlborough will support the shop," added Janet Kreuser.
"This initiative will help ensure that Helen & Douglas House can continue providing families like ours with their exceptional expertise, care, and compassionate professionalism.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here