Biggleswade charity shop supporting palliative care to close its doors

Staff at Garden House Hospice Care are saddened to announce the upcoming closure of its Biggleswade charity shop.

The shop at 12B High Street opened in July 2019 but despite the efforts of its dedicated team, the store has struggled to match the success of its sister shops across Stevenage, North Herts, and beyond.

A decision has now been made to close its doors after its final day of sales on Saturday, February 26.

Carla Pilsworth, director of income generation at Garden House Hospice Care, said: “Our shops are vital in raising a third of the income it takes to pay for essential palliative and end of life care services for local families, so closing one is never an easy decision to make.

"However this is certainly a case of ‘goodbye for now’ rather than ‘farewell’ to our presence in Biggleswade. We will continue to engage with the local community through initiatives such as our Big Charity Restocks; our supporters and fundraising groups will still attend local community events throughout the year and we will continue to seek further opportunities for new premises in Biggleswade in the future."

Two permanent shop staff affected by this closure will be relocating to other Garden House Hospice Care shops nearby, with all volunteers offered alternative roles where possible.

Carla added: “In positive news, no jobs will be lost with this shop closure and I know our existing staff are really looking forward to the new challenge of working with colleagues at our other nearby shops.

"I’d like to thank them for their understanding and for all the hard work of our staff and volunteers in Biggleswade, particularly against the backdrop of the pandemic which has affected retail shops so significantly. Finally I would like to thank our loyal customers for their continued support of the Hospice and we look forward to seeing them again soon.”

The next nearest Garden House Hospice Care stores for supporters in Biggleswade will be: Fairfield shop, Beeton Court, Dickens Boulevard, Stotfold (open Monday to Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 10am-4pm); Baldock shop, White Horse Street, Baldock (open Monday to Saturday, 8.30am to 4.30pm and Sunday 10am-4pm); Royston shop, High Street, Royston (open Monday to Saturday, 8.30am to 4.30pm and Sunday 10am-4pm).

Garden House Hospice Care provides specialist palliative care for patients, families and carers facing life limiting illnesses, to enable them to "have the best possible quality of life by providing care and support in the setting of their choice, without discrimination".

Its team offers physical, emotional and spiritual care to hundreds of people each year living in North Hertfordshire, Stevenage and surrounding towns and villages in Central Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

For further information about Garden House Hospice Care please visit http://www.ghhospicecare.org.uk