A long-running church-led charity shop in Ipswich is relaunching with a new management team – and is branching out into online sales.
Living Water, in Dickens Road, Ipswich, has been serving the community for almost 30 years, selling a range of donated bric-a-brac, clothes, toys, jewellery and books while offering a cafe area for a quiet sit down and a chat.
Its previous manager Mandy Stone is stepping down after 22 years, making way for three, part-time co-managers – Caroline Relton, Kevin Clarke and Amy Lotay – to take the helm.
The Revd Lawrence Carey, Associate Priest for Triangle Church, which operates Living Water as a not-for-profit, said: “Living Water isn’t just a shop, it’s a community hub and our day-to-day presence in our community. Our customers say it’s a place of peace, somewhere where they can come in, sit down and get a cup of something nice and where they will always receive a warm welcome.”
Working alongside Caroline, Kevin and Amy, the shop is supported and staffed by a team of dedicated volunteers. Whether sorting donations or serving customers, everyone has a vital role to play in the life of Living Water.
Amy said: “It’s important that we can be compassionate and empathetic to all that come through the door, and it’s great that the trustees support us as managers in doing so.”
Trustee Debbie Carey said the shop relied on the generous donations it receives. “They are a vital part of what makes Living Water able to operate,” she said.
All donations are sorted using a strict criteria to ensure that only the best items are made available to purchase, meaning all items for sale are of the highest quality, and at affordable prices. The shop is now selling more niche items online on websites such as eBay and Vinted.
Kevin said some items remained on the shop shelves for weeks, despite many being sought after by collectors. “We have only a small shop space, so cannot have everything on display for weeks and weeks,” he said.
“The shop is here for the local community, in fact a survey we ran showed 96% of our customers come from within a mile of us. Then we have the niche stuff that won’t necessarily sell in the shop, but if someone is searching for one on eBay and we have what they are looking for that’s great.”
For more on Living Water and how to volunteer or donate items see www.livingwateripswich.org
Picture credit: Friel.