17 October 2003

Cannock Hockey Club's England and Great Britain star Chris Mayer was guest of honour at the 15th birthday of the St Giles Hospice charity shop in Cannock on Friday (17 October.)

Mayer - who holds 92 England and 80 Great Britain caps - joined long serving volunteers for the celebrations at the Wolverhampton Road store.

Together, they cut the shop's birthday cake, which was then shared among volunteers and customers.

The shop officially opened its doors for the first time back in October 1988, and raises funds to support the work of St Giles Hospice. The registered charity offers specialist medical and nursing care for patients living with cancer and other serious illnesses in Cannock and the surrounding area, as well as providing support for their families and helpers.

Lynwen Truesdale, General Manager of St Giles Hospice Shops, said: "Over its fifteen years, many thousands of people have visited the shop to make a purchase or donate items we can sell.

"We are grateful to them, and to our dedicated staff and volunteers, for the important part they have played in supporting the work of St Giles Hospice.

"Last year, the network of twelve shops and two warehouses raised £585,000 to support the hospice's work - and with demands on our care continuing to increase, every penny is desperately needed."

Items available in the Cannock shop include clothes, accessories, books, and products for the home - including a range of furniture. The shop also sells a selection of new goods, including greeting cards throughout the year, and the hospice's range of Christmas cards between now and December.

Donations of good quality clothing and other items that can be sold are always welcome, and further information is available by contacting the shop on 01543 574727.

St Giles Hospice is a registered charity offering high-quality medical and nursing care for people living with cancer and other serious illnesses, as well as providing support for their families and helpers.

Patients come from across the hospice's catchment area, which ranges from Ashby de la Zouch and Atherstone in the east, to Cannock and Walsall in the west - and from Burton and Uttoxeter in the north, to Sutton Coldfield and Coleshill in the south.

Care is offered either at the hospice, or in patients' own homes across the region, where community nurses have made 5,000 visits over the past twelve months.

The range of high-quality, specialist services are expensive to provide, and the hospice relies heavily on donations and fundraising.