Killyleagh Community Shop Makes World Of Difference

writes Ashleigh Henderson, on work experience with Down News. Muriel Stringer started up the shop nine years ago in the small brick-a-brac shop now known as TJ’s. It was situated for six years on Catherine Street and then moved to a small building just across the street. Muriel’s charitable aim was to reach out to the community with a Christian outlook. Myrtle McIlveen, the current shop manager of The Killyleagh Community Shop, or the ‘Charity Shop’ as it’s locally known, said, “It was opened mainly to help projects within the community, such as donating money to the local football club in order to purchase a first aid box and to the local Drop In Centre for bus fees, to help projects in Third World countries and in places such as Belarus and Chernobyl. “Basically, the shop is supported by over 20 volunteers ranging from teenagers aged 14-15 who are taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh awards course, all the way up to retired senior citizens some in their seventies. Everybody is a volunteer and nobody gets paid.” [caption id="attachment_27480" align="alignleft" width="400" caption="Volunteers Dorothy Medwell, Mary Dennvir, and Margaret Moore with customer Joyce Carson, second right, at the Killyleagh Community Shop. (Photo by Ashleigh Henderson)"][/caption] Charlene Anderson, a current Duke of Edinburgh student said, “Working at the Killyleagh Community Shop is a great experience, especially if you spend your time freely, and you feel good working here as you know you are making a difference, not just in the community, but for rest of the world.” The Charity Shop sells many things from clothes to curtains and toys to brick-a-brac. Some of the goods and items are second-hand, but some donations can be brand new. Myrtle added, “Around 75% of customers are local, but remarkably some customers come from Downpatrick and even as far as Belfast! Normally, the shop turns over approximately fifty customers a day. It sometimes depends on the weather on how many customers we gain. Days with bad weather can help us gain customers or possibly none. But even the good weather can take customers away as many go out to enjoy the sun.” [caption id="attachment_27484" align="alignright" width="154" caption="Duke of Edinburgh student Charlene Anderson, volunteer, at work in the Charity Shop in Killyleagh. (Photo by Ashleigh Henderson.)"][/caption] “Many donations are sent to countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia. In South Africa, the donations helped an orphanage. Their main contributions go to building schools and families who need houses. “However, it is not just the children that the Killyleagh Community Shop focus on. The volunteers help rebuild institutions for the elderly. Some of the other countries and charities they have helped include support for house building In India, and they have provided education support for children in India and Uganda. They have also contributed to the work Water Aid. But at home charities such as Macmillan Cancer Support and Mainstay DRP have also benefited. “Most of the local community donates to the Killyleagh Community Shop and it helps to sustain relationship of needy people to the Killyleagh community. Myrtle added, “The Killyleagh Community Shop would not be able to function without the generosity of the local community and the funds raised always go to a good cause. “Last year, the shop took in a staggering £26,500. Some of that money was used for the essential running costs of the shop such as rent, water and electricity. But out of the £26‘500, a remarkable £21‘500 was donated to the various charities. “The Killyleagh Community Shop is deeply grateful for donations and is always looking for contributions,” said Myrtle.]]>