The Royal Columbian Hospital Auxiliary is on the hunt for a new home for its New to You thrift store.
Along with the lotto booth and gift shop at Royal Columbian Hospital, the thrift store is one of the ways the auxiliary raises funds for equipment at RCH that isn’t funded by Fraser Health.
“We are looking for a new place,” said auxiliary president Marlene Braidwood. “We are trying to stay in Sapperton.”
The auxiliary is searching for a premises to rent that’s 1,500-square-feet or larger. If a new location isn’t found, the group may have to close the store – something that’s distressing to the auxiliary members who love what they do and want to buy urgently needed equipment at Royal Columbian Hospital.
“They really don’t want to close,” Braidwood said about volunteers. “They feel if we close down we will never reopen.”
The New to You thrift store has been located at its current location since opening 27 years ago, but the space is no longer suitable. Instead of spending money on work on the current building, the auxiliary would prefer to use money raised at the thrift store to help buy hospital equipment.
Braidwood said the thrift store was able to contribute $40,000 to $45,000 annually toward hospital equipment, but those funds have dropped dramatically in recent years as the auxiliary has had to renovate the existing space. Having to close the shop on a number of occasions has also affected its revenues.
Anyone who may have leads on rental space for the New to You thrift store can contact Susan Pearson at 604-524-1179.
