St Michael’s are delighted to have secured this new site, with a capacity of over 50,000 square feet and 88 parking spaces, it’s going to be our largest venture to date. It is set to become a destination for donating unwanted items, shopping for affordable pre-loved goodies, relaxing over a cuppa, enjoying the community spaces, and taking part in our up-cycling projects. With its great location just off the A4103 between Hereford and Worcester, we’re sure it will become a place for the whole community to enjoy, time after time. 

Key priorities for this new site will be around environmental sustainability, affordability and accessibility.  

Upstairs, the site will boast 16,000 square feet of space for shopping, grabbing a treat in the drinks and snacks area and finding out more about the care and support the hospice offers.  

On the ground floor there will be a Donation Centre open 7 days per week, to accept people’s used items, with the benefit of being able to drive up and drop-off. This will be for quality pre-loved items or goods that require upcycling. Downstairs will also house a warehouse, sorting and distribution centre to serve all our shops, as well as the online trading operation, selling goods on eBay and Vinted. 

As the site develops, the offices and training rooms will also be able to house our eBay team, Fleet and Logistics department and provide opportunities for meetings and educational training. 

We’ll be installing a full passenger lift at the front for those with mobility issues and there will be a covered cycle rack for those who would like to arrive by two wheels! 

What will the site sell? 

It will have a strong focus on second-hand and upcycled furniture.  With its space and easy access for delivery and collection, it is ideal for the sale of large furniture and bulky items.  Currently, none of the Hospice units are large enough to store or work on furniture requiring a new lease of life. The vision is to have a team of volunteers and staff who have the skills to give items a second chance, preventing them going to landfill. This will also retain some of the heritage of the former I & JL Brown business, where for many years, they made and restored furniture on site. Furniture upcycling and textile recycling will be a priority, with techniques such as rug ragging and sewing to make decorative items from unwanted fabric being explored.   

There will also be plenty of space for traditional items you’d expect to see in a charity store, such as clothing, bric-a-brac, electrical items, books and toys. A small proportion of new goods, in particular seasonal items, or perhaps locally crafted goods will also be offered. 

Waste management agencies will be approached to see if further recycling opportunities can be encouraged across the county. Projects will be set up working with different organisations to offer volunteering opportunities and the opportunity to learn a new skill.  

Timescales for using the site  

We hope to open the Donation Centre in time for the Winter to start accepting pre-loved goods. 

A start date of 1st April 2024 for the full retail operation is anticipated as there’s 16,000 square feet of space to design and fill, ready to welcome customers for an incredible shopping experience.  

There may be scope to use part of the building earlier for retail trade, but it will depend on a number of factors, and we do not want to compromise on the quality of this site. For example, we may consider a Christmas pop-up shop, even if the site is not fully operational, to offer an opportunity for pre-Christmas shopping and sharing the plans with our supporters to gather ideas of what people would like to see in store in the future.  

Keep checking back for updates!   

If you have an idea for the site or would like to sign up for updates, or be the first to know of developments, please email: whitestone@smhospicehereford.org 

As job opportunities for this site become available they will be advertised on our website at https://www.st-michaels-hospice.org.uk/vacancies/  

If you would like to offer your skills and time to volunteer at this amazing new site please email our volunteering team on: volunteer@smhospicehereford.org