Community shop to benefit local good causes opens in Thatcham

Community Spirit Thatcham, Old Mews, off High Street, is being run by Lesley Sangwell.
With previous experience working in an international charity shop in Theale, Mrs Sangwell said she noticed that people were reluctant to make donations when they realised the money would not be supporting any UK-based projects.
She said that she believed people wanted a truly local charity shop, where their money would be going back into their own community.
She added that the response so far had been positive, with people making donations via the Facebook page before the shop was even set up.
Mrs Sangwell's husband Wayne said: “I think people have responded really well. Lots of people have made positive comments. They have said they like the fact the donations are going to stay local.”
People are being invited to make suggestions as to which charities should be supported by Community Spirit.
Mr Sangwell said that in order to keep it truly local the charities and community groups to which all profits would be donated needed to be based within 11 miles of the store, covering Thatcham, Newbury, Hunger-ford, Compton, Kingsclere and Theale, and not be part of a national network.
He added: “Each month the charity will change. Hedgehog Bottom will definitely be one of the charities that will be getting money, as they have given us a lot of help.”
Urging people to make donations and visit the shop, Mr Sangwell added: “First thing we have to do is get it up and running – at the moment we don’t know whether it’s going to work or whether it’s not going to work.
The shop is open from 10am until 4.30pm, Monday to Saturday.
For more information visit the Community Spirit page on Facebook.