On Wednesday 2 November, the mental health charity opened the doors of a new shop on Old York Road. The ribbon was cut by MP Marsha de Cordova 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 Old York Road 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.
Marsha de Cordova, MP for Battersea, said: “I attended the opening of the new Mind premises today because I know how important their shops are in raising funds to enable Mind to bring awareness about mental health and advocate for better services. It’s also great to have new shops opening here in Wandsworth to keep our high streets thriving.
“I am committed to improving mental health services, through sitting on the Draft Mental Health Act Scrutiny Committee I can ensure the Act provides appropriate safeguards.”
Rosie Herbert, Regional Manager, said: “We’re so excited to welcome the people of Wandsworth 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.”
