On Wednesday 29 March, the mental health charity opened the doors of a new shop on High Road in East Finchley. The ribbon was cut by the shop’s managers who welcomed locals to the store.
The shop offers everything from stylish clothing and vintage must-haves to bric-a-brac bargains. Located on the bustling high street, the shop is full of colour and unique items providing a bountiful shopping experience for all who visit. Donations and sales made at the East Finchley Mind shop will go to help support the one in four of us who will experience a mental health problem every year.
Mind’s shops have been on the high street for over 60 years and rely on over 3,000 volunteers and 450 dedicated staff across England and Wales to keep shops running.
Mind welcomes residents to donate pre-loved items and encourages shoppers searching for affordable fashion or gifts for loved ones. All the shop’s profit goes to support Mind, for instance by helping the charity deliver support in local communities via its network of local Minds, or to fund vital advice and support services such as the Mind Infoline.
The average bag of items donated to Mind shops is worth around £30. This amount could help 45 people find hope during tough times on Mind’s online peer support community Side by Side or help Mind send out 250 information booklets, so people who are struggling with their mental health can make sense of what they are going through and find ways to cope.
Mike Freer, MP for Finchley and Golders Green, said: “I’m very pleased to be able to welcome a new Mind charity shop to my constituency. Mental health is an extremely important public issue, and it is vital that the right support is available to people in need of it, especially in the context of the challenges of today’s world. Mind provide excellent mental health support and information, as well as fantastic volunteering opportunities, all whilst selling high-quality items donated by supporters. I am sure that this new shop will be a valuable addition to our local community.”
Philip Morgan, Regional Manager, said: “We’re so excited to welcome the people of East Finchley to this new Mind shop. Only with the community’s support will we be able to raise vital funds for Mind’s work such as the Infoline, information and advice services, and the campaigning Mind does to support the one in four of us who experience a mental health problem every year. There are very easy ways that everybody can get involved such as donating quality items, volunteering in the shop, or simply shopping at the store. I urge locals to visit the shop or get in touch to find out more about how they can support us.”
Mind is asking locals to support the new shop in three simple ways:
Drop in and donate: Each bag of donations, however small, could make a big difference. East Finchley Mind shop is pleased to accept clothing, accessories, furniture, books, records, DVDs, CDs, homeware, linens and children’s games and toys. To find out more about making donations, visit: mind.org.uk/supportyourshop
Pick up a bargain: Mind shops add new items of stock to the shelves every day, so no two shopping experiences are the same. Pop into East Finchley Park Mind shop regularly to be the first to see the latest bargains and thrift for unique treasures.
Lend a hand: Volunteering doesn’t need to be a big time-consuming commitment – even just an hour a week could make a huge difference. It’s a great way to make new friends, build confidence and can also be a route back into work. To find out more about volunteering visit: mind.org.uk/supportyourshop
Don’t forget that when in-store, you can also make a further contribution to Mind’s work by filling in a Gift Aid form potentially allowing the charity to claim 25% of the sale price of the donations from the government in Gift Aid.
Pop by and visit the shop at 107 High Road, East Finchley N2 8AG
