Charity shop to reopen in Evesham after major flooding

The Tracy Sollis Leukaemia Trust charity shop hopes to reopen after being out of action due to a burst water pipe. 

However the shop is in desperate need of volunteers according to the trust founders. 

The charity needs more volunteers (Image: Sue Sollis)

Sue Sollis, the trust's co founder said: "It's exciting that we are going to re-open soon. 

"Unfortunately we had to close on January 20 after a water pipe burst in the premises above.

"When I came in at 8am that morning I was shocked. 

"It was like Niagara Falls, water was pouring in from the ceiling and the water was ankle deep in the store. 

"It was very traumatic, the fire service was called, but the damage was extensive. 

"It's been a long process to get the store back up and running, we lost a lot of donated goods and had to replaster the wall."

The charity was set up to help people suffering from leukaemia, after the loss of her daughter in 1995. 

The shop will reopen soon (Image: Sue Sollis)

Mrs Sollis continued: "As you can imagine, it was quite the shock for people when we had to close and people have been asking for months about when we are going to reopen. 

"It was our best year for shop takings and we are relived to be back open again. 

"The charity does a lot work helping research projects, providing money grants to leukaemia sufferers and providing vein finders to hospitals and GP clinics."

The store has been open for more than 20 years and is located in the Library Arcade.

The charity has provided vein finders to health facilities across Worcestershire including in Evesham, Pershore, Malvern, and Broadway.

If you would like to volunteer, contact Mrs Sollis on into@tracysollistrust.org or 07707 522450

Mrs Sollis said: "We want to do a positive restart. 

"We have a great team but we want to expand, we are in desperate need of some good volunteers to interact with the public. 

"Four months is a long time to be shut and it will be a relief to reopen, we would like to raise as much money as we can for people suffering from leukaemia."