The Trust has helped set up the first charity shop in Eastern Europe!
Fr Lubo Farkas, who appealed to Father Gregory Grant for help with a fundraising project, has written from Slovakia to tell us of the success of the charity shop set up by the Trust and parishioners of St Patricks Church. Its aim was to raise funds for the country’s childrens’ cancer hospital but is now helping other people in need as well. Bristol parishioners rallied round to send a lorry full of good quality clothes. Now businesses in Bratislava have rallied round to help by donating unwanted goods, including jeans by Dolce & Gabana and fashions by Tommy Hilfiger. Parishioners donated a lorry load of clothes and the transport and setting up costs for the shop were paid for by the Trust.
Father Lubo writes:
Dear Friends,
I’m proud to tell you, that our charity shop is doing really well. We have now 7 volunteers that are helping us with propagation. Most things are done by my nephew, Marian, and me. We have created a website and are working also on Facebook and selling some gadgets via the internet.
Recently we received many bags of good quality clothes from local people. One firm has donated 100 pairs of Italian stylish shoes, about 40 pairs of jeans from Dolce and Gabana, and some nice jumpers and suits from Tommy Hilfiger. All are older models that were never sold or used.
We also officially cooperate with local residents and have good support from the Mayor. We now work closely and support three more groups of social workers who work with mothers in need, homeless people and seniors.
We have become popular in the media, too. Some reporters wrote articles about our charity model and we have been interviewed by our state radio station (the Slovak equal of BBC1). We also administer a Facebook group called: Robim co mozem-ak mozem pomozem. In English: I’m doing my best – I’ll help whenever I can. We have about 500 followers in this group. We are trying to coordinate their interest in charity projects.
You can find us on these addresses:
www.charityshop.sk
facebook/charityshop.sk
Thank you again to all our friends and supporters who launched this charity shop, it is the first in the Eastern Europe.
Lubo
