Kay Taylor is gearing up for her holiday and is urging supporters to visit St Catherine’s charity shops to stock up on seasonal must-haves! 

It’s that time of year again – holiday season!

If like me, you’re thinking about getting a new summer wardrobe ready for your trip away, as well as a few holiday essentials such as a good book and seasonal accessories, it may be worth considering what a rummage through some of the St Catherine’s charity shops could unveil.

My job has involved me visiting a number of the hospice’s shops in recent months, and I’ve been really impressed at the amount of high quality pre-loved items there are to be found – at real bargain prices!

And one of the great things about St Catherine’s in particular is that each shop is tailored for a specific thing; the large Leyland store in Sumner Street is half clothes, shoes and accessories, and half a furniture shop, so it’s great for a good browse round.

In nearby Penwortham, there’s a specialist ladies’ fashion boutique selling top-end high street and well-known labels, and the Longridge and Fulwood stores are also great for designer dresses and high quality accessories.

Going on a cruise or attending a wedding? The Lune Street store in Preston city centre is the place to find posh frocks, hats and fascinators for a special occasion.

We like to see customers use our charity shops like libraries – buy cut-price clothing for a particular event or holiday, and once you’re done, bring them back to the charity and see what new items have been donated in the meantime. It keeps your wardrobe up-to-date whilst also providing ongoing support for the charity.

Elsewhere, our general charity shops in Lostock Hall, Chorley and Ashton boast homeware, toys, bric-a-brac and clothing for all the family.

As well as Leyland, we also have a specialist furniture shop in Clifford Street, Chorley – perfect for house-proud people looking to refresh their homes this summer.

And for anyone wanting a good read as they laze in the garden or sun themselves on a lounger by the pool, the charity’s book shops in Chorley and Ashton are real treasure troves featuring thousands of fiction and non-fiction favourites.

If you’d rather have everything under one roof – bedroom and dining furniture, homeware, electricals, kitchen and office accessories, clothing, toys and more – it’s time to pay a visit to our new-concept St Catherine’s Superstore in the Guild Trading Estate, Ribbleton Lane, Preston.

Our friendly staff and volunteers work really hard to provide an easy and enjoyable shopping experience – and have even been known to act as personal shoppers to some of our regular customers – so it really is worth seeing for yourself what’s on offer at your nearest St Catherine’s shop.

If you’re already back from your summer holiday and forgot to get a present for a certain someone, you could always pop into our lovely gift shops in the hospice reception or the onsite Mill café in Lostock Lane, Lostock Hall.

We sell a range of hand crafted cards, scarves, handbags, stationery, mugs, preserves and St Catherine’s merchandise. You may not be able to convince them you got their gift from overseas, but you can guarantee they won’t be angry if you’re doing your bit to support a much-loved local charity!

– For a full list of our shops and their addresses, click here.