Charity shop staff and volunteers time-warped back to the 1940s for a weekend of nostalgia in north Norfolk. Businesses in the town were encouraged to get involved and teams from the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) shops in Sheringham and Holt joined the festivities, raising nearly £4,000.
They rolled back the years by wearing outfits from the era and sold vintage clothing and memorabilia to help raise extra funds. There were donation buckets in EACH’s Sheringham shop, in Station Road, and generous 1940s enthusiasts donated £117.
Meanwhile, the Holt team secured a free pitch at the town’s railway station, setting up a pop-up shop and making a staggering £1,400.
“What an incredible weekend,” said EACH Retail Manager and North-East Cluster Manager Naomi Munro.
“Everyone loved getting in the spirit and our Sheringham shop was packed with 1940s enthusiasts. Both staff and volunteers came dressed up and worked hard to get everything ready, handing out refreshments throughout.
“Many of our customers also wore special outfits so it was great fun. At the same time, our team from Holt were busy selling vintage wares to revellers and, over the course of two days, they made a staggering £1,400.
“Sarah Hipkin (Holt Shop Manager) and Mark Buller (Relief and Support Manager) manned the pitch all weekend. A lot of hard work went into it and they pulled out all the stops to raise extra funds for EACH. Overall, we had a blast and are already planning next year’s event.”
The ‘Steam Back to The Forties’ weekend, celebrating the camaraderie and spirit of the era, was organised by North Norfolk Railway and the Sheringham Carnival Committee and took place on 16th and 17th September. Between the Sheringham shop and the Holt stall, £3,766 was raised for EACH.
Anyone interested in lending a hand and volunteering in either shop can call Naomi on 01263 800887 or email naomi.munro@each.org.uk or volunteerservices@each.org.uk For more information about volunteering for EACH, head to www.each.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering
