ellenor’s Director of Operations Liam Stone manages the hospice charity’s day-to-day operations.
His remit? IT, health and safety, the construction of ellenor’s new Wellbeing Centre …and its 10 shops throughout Kent and Bexley.
At the moment, ellenor has retail presences in Bexley, Blackfen, Crayford, Gravesend, Northfleet, Swanscombe, and Welling, plus three locations in Dartford – on the High Street, at The Priory Shopping Centre, and in Darent Valley Hospital.
If there’s not an ellenor shop near where you live, though, don’t worry – chances are there will be soon.
That’s because, Liam explains, ellenor plans to open three shops each year, for the next three years: a strategic expansion which, by 2027, will almost double the amount of shops the hospice charity has on the high street today.
“I want us to be able to reach more people, drive more sales, have a presence in more locations – to push beyond our usual ‘fenced’ area. What we’re finding is that many of our usual clientele – Gravesend and Dartford locals in particular – are being forced by the cost of living crisis to move further out, to places like Gillingham and Rochester. We want to ensure they’re still able to come and shop with us, without having to travel too far.”
Combined, ellenor’s shops bring in almost £2 million per year, with all profits – around £600,000, or close to a third, of that figure going towards ellenor’s services. These funds help the hospice charity provide vital palliative and end-of-life care for patients with life-limiting conditions: both from its Northfleet-based inpatient and outpatient services, as well as the homes of its patients throughout the Kent and Bexley areas.
“The ambitions and aspirations of our care team are tied directly to what we do,” Liam says, “– and to what our shops are able to achieve. If we don’t deliver our retail targets, it limits their ability to provide that care. By contrast, though, by us pushing the boundaries – adding more shops, and generating more income – we’re actually bringing the rest of the charity with us.”
Yet the income ellenor’s charity shops generate – all of which flows, via enabling the care and support ellenor provides, back into the community – isn’t the only service they provide to their local surrounds.
They fulfil a vital social function, too.
“Our charity shops are more than a place to grab a bargain,” says Liam. “They’re a social hub. We find that, for many people in our community – particularly those struggling with isolation – they’ll pop into our charity shops not to buy, necessarily, but simply to check in with different people and have a chat.”
Now, with ellenor’s retail presence increasing to reflect the greater demand for the charity’ services, even more people will benefit from an ellenor shop on their doorstep.