The Hospice Wits Shop in Parkmore would like to appeal to all members of the community to get involved by volunteering their time or alternatively donating any pre-owned and unwanted items that are in good condition.
Parkmore is one of seven Hospice Wits stores which carry an array of items from different ranges and departments. According to retail manager Jerry Tshabalala, the largest store in Orange Grove has thousands of items from almost 12 different departments.
Jerry added that because the shop in Parkmore is in a more affluent area such as Sandton, even after 20 years the shop receives the best quality donations out of the seven. “Branded merchandise such as clothing attracts a lot of people that couldn’t necessarily afford to buy themselves a Nike or Adidas T-shirt. They would then come here and basically get it for a bargain,” he said.
Marketing manager Leandi Streeter said that wedding dresses, for example, are one of the most notorious items in the shop. “We have had people who have actually bought wedding dresses and sent us pictures with a ‘thank you’ noted to show just how wonderful their day was as a result of us,” she smiled.
This is why the store needs more volunteers and donations. “We need to get more donors and volunteers to support the initiative as well as the organisation. Those that do have free time on their hands can volunteer their services because we can also learn from their expertise, start doing things differently and become more competitive,” Tshabalala explained.
The Hospice Wits retail stores generate close to 33 per cent of the organisations revenue which is then used to care for people with life-threatening illnesses such as cancer for example. “We have sustained ourselves by fully replying on donations from people of the community,” Streeter added.
“Often people in the community are relocating or downscaling so they tend to donate their pre-loved items that they no longer need,” Tshabalala said.
To encourage more donations, the store itself is more than willing to collect any donations should the donor not have time to make the trip. “We take in everything from your cups and saucers to clothing, bedding and furniture,” he added.
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