CHARITY shop manager Kate Davies is inviting customers to call in next week as she bids farewell.

It is almost two years since East Cheshire Hospice opened its shop in The Paddock at Handforth.

During that time the support the community has given the charity has been beyond Kate’s wildest hopes.

“I was working for the hospice running one of the Macclesfield shops, and was delighted to be given the opportunity to develop a shop from scratch, with a new team of volunteers, in July 2016,” said Kate.

Since then the shop has seen record numbers of donors and customers.

Kate added: “We have even seen a huge uptake in the numbers recycling their Christmas trees in the area since the shop opened as awareness of the hospice and its work has grown.

“I think previously many people didn’t realise if they live in Handforth it’s the East Cheshire Hospice that is there to care for them in their time of need.

“A special part of the job has been getting to know the regular customers and becoming a real part of the Handforth community, which is why we continue to run things like our Coffee Cake and Donation days on a regular basis in the shop.

“Add to that the team of volunteers who are incredible, which makes it such a fantastic and fun place to work.

“All of that, along with the variety in tasks in the shop has made it a doubly hard decision for me to leave the hospice.

“In fact, if it wasn’t for the fact that I am relocating to Norfolk I would not be leaving at all!”

Kate is leaving to take up a similar post with a local charity in Norfolk, called Break, which provides foster homes and ongoing care for vulnerable young people.

She said: “I much prefer working for smaller charities – you really know where the money you raise is going – and the fact that services help the local community is what has made working for the East Cheshire Hospice so special to me.

“You get to meet so many people who have had family and friends who have been helped by the incredible staff at the hospice or been helped by the Hospice at Home team.”

Kate’s departure means East Cheshire Hospice is now looking for a new shop manager, and if anyone is interested in this role, or knows someone else who is, details of the job and full application form can be found on the hospice website: eastcheshirehospice.org.uk/recruitment/current-vacancies

Kate added: “I know that assistant manager Emma and the team won’t let me leave quietly, and if customers feel they would like to say goodbye, we are having a bit of a do in the shop on Wednesday, July 18.

“I will be going out for a meal with my incredible team for an evening meal a couple of days later, on the second birthday of the shop, and we will be celebrating our success over last two years.

“I know that by the end of the evening I will be in floods of tears as saying goodbye is going to be so hard.

“Having worked in charity retail for many years, I can honestly say I have never worked with such an amazing team before, and when the new manager is employed, they will soon find out what a great bunch of volunteers they are.

“I’d like to again to say thank you to Emma and every one of the volunteers for their love, friendship and support, as well as hard work over the last two years.

“I will really miss them, but I know the shop will continue to go from strength to strength in the coming years, and that is a great legacy to leave behind.”