THREE generations of one family have been involved in giving a charity shop a dazzling make-over.

Butterwick Hospice Care’s Yarm shop, in Danby Wynd, off the High Street, was the last of their 11 shops to open after Covid-19, and manager, Julie Farrow-Hamblen, was determined to make a statement.

“Because the shop is at the top of a small yard, it is easily missed by passing pedestrians, and it needed a bit of a lift,” said Julie.

“We wanted to give the shop a good make-over and get people back in, now that we’ve re-opened after Covid,” explained Julie. “We’ve colour co-ordinated all the clothes, so it looks like a rainbow.”

Julie started volunteering at the shop nearly 20 years ago, following in the footsteps of her mother, Joan Farrow, who has been involved for 25 years, after her husband, Ron, died.

“My dad was cared for by the hospice at the end of his life, and the support the whole family got was fantastic,” Julie remembered. “It’s not just about the person who is dying – they look after the families as well, and that’s really important.”

She became the shop manager in 1995, and her son, Alex, has also been a volunteer for about ten years. On a recent trip home, he popped in to lend a hand with the refurb.

“Alex was only here for the weekend but I roped him in to helping moving all the stock around,” laughed Julie. “He was happy to help – he knows how important the hospice is to us and the community.”

“The response from customers has been really positive and supportive. Because we’re not on the high street, we don’t get the passing footfall, but once people find us, they keep coming back.”

By taking out a central rail, they’ve also created more space which allows customers to keep a safe distance.

Julie said: “We want customers to have a positive experience when they come in – even in the shop it’s about being caring and giving a good service.”

The shop is open from 10am to 3.30pm Monday to Saturday