THE Barnsley Hospice retail hub has been nominated for a Proud of Barnsley award in the Green Hero category.
It opened in December 2020 and is a vital source of funding for the hospice.
As well as raising funds, the emphasis on shopping sustainably is a huge focus for the hub.
The team makes every effort to ensure no items go to landfill, with the majority of donations going onto the shop floor or online for customers to purchase. Any clothing that is damaged or stained is sent to be recycled or ragged.
This was evidenced when the hub recently launched its second ‘A Heart as Big as Barnsley’ collection, using second hand clothes to create one-off designs.
For this second collection, a new design was created by Josh Griffin at FYI Studios, a local designer from Penistone.
This year’s design adopted a varsity style drawing inspiration from the town’s rich sporting history.
The hub has also worked with Barnsley College to support its first and second-year fashion students giving them the opportunity to use clothing and materials from the hub to create their final designs.
The nomination said: “These connections and innovations are incredibly important, and help to encourage a more sustainable approach to fashion and shopping in the local area.
“These examples show the Retail Hub’s commitment to promoting sustainability. The team is incredibly passionate about reducing waste whilst maximising profits for the hospice.”
The ‘A Heart as Big as Barnsley’ campaign was first launched in October 2022 and is designed to re-purpose second hand clothing donated to the hospice retail hub in Dodworth.
The items are then printed with a design containing the phrase ‘A Heart as Big as Barnsley’, chosen to represent the generosity and compassion of the local community.
The hub is located on the Fall Bank Industrial Estate in Dodworth. Opening times are Monday to Saturday, 9am to 4pm.
The hospice, based in Gawber, needs to raise £3.5m each year to fund patient care and support for families. It relies entirely on fundraising and donations to achieve this amount. An additional £1.7m grant is provided by the NHS.
The hub accepts menswear, ladieswear, children’s clothes, toys, books and bric-a-brac as well as larger items like furniture and working electricals.
