23 May 2024 Shop News

Shop spotlight of the month - Mirfield

Situated in the centre of Kirklees, and known for its rich industrial heritage, beautiful landscapes, and its connection to the Bronte sisters, and the birthplace of the famed Hollywood actor Sir Patrick Stewart, Mirfield has a vibe of its own in contrast to its surrounding towns of Cleckheaton, Batley, Dewsbury and Heckmondwike.

In the centre of this busy little town sits not one but three of The Kirkwood shops, our donation centre and eBay hub at Sandsmill, our furniture store and our original The Kirkwood Mirfield shop, where our shop spotlight is focussed, a popular sustainable clothing shop of choice within the town, our Mirfield shop has the fantastic support of its team, volunteers and customers that frequent its doors.

As you would expect with any charity shop, most of our teams have their own personal reasons for supporting The Kirkwood, be that Family member or friend our incredible clinical teams have supported and cared and some having accessed our services themselves, and when we caught up with shop manager, Linda Allsopp, and volunteer, Sandra Shackleton, they shared with us their reasons for choosing The Kirkwood.

Coincidentally, just thirteen days apart in October 2023, both Linda and Sandra experienced first-hand the care and support of The Kirkwood Nurses, when sadly, Linda's brother, John, and Sandra's husband, Terry, both received end of life care and palliative support via The Kirkwood in-patient unit and community team. Linda and Sandra have since been supporting each other through their grieving journeys, finding friendship and solace in one another's company while working together in our shop. 

Sandra's husband, Terry had been a longtime supporter of The Kirkwood, volunteering as a van driver for several years before his diagnosis. 

“When Terry had retired from work, he decided he would like to volunteer with The Kirkwood, dressing as Santa Claus on a few occasions during the festive seasons, and as van driver on a Wednesday and Thursday. Transporting patients from their homes to The Kirkwood, Dalton site for their treatments and lunch before taking them back home." - Sandra

Terry had been managing his diagnosis of acute myeloid leukaemia following the discovery made while being cared for following a stroke, sharing his concerns about being in a lot of pain during his treatment, and further assessments made by the hospital care team, Terry was eventually diagnosed with the life limiting illness, and with prior knowledge of The Kirkwood and the exceptional care he had seen offered to those he had helped during his volunteering, Terry decided he would like to be cared for by our fantastic nurses. Spending his final two weeks in our In-Patient Unit last October. Sandra will always be grateful for the care and kindness we showed Terry in his final days. 

“I can’t thank the team and nurses enough for how they cared for Terry in those final days, they were fantastic. I’ll always be grateful for the love and kindness they showed us both at that difficult time.” - Sandra

Linda’s brother, John died in The Kirkwood’s In-Patient Uni just thirteen days after Terry, following his diagnosis of Lung Cancer. 

Linda shares: "I was pleased that The Kirkwood were there for John. Sandra and I both feel strongly about the connection we have with the charity, supporting each other at that moment, it was a hard time for both of us, but it also brought us closer together. 

When you experience something like we have, you get to see how important we are as a charity first-hand even if it’s something you don’t want to go through. Both Sandra and I are very proud to work and volunteer for the charity.”

Linda has been the manager at The Kirkwood Mirfield Shop for just over two and half years, greeting her customers in a warm and friendly manner. The Mirfield Shop matches Linda's personality with its bright and bold layout and welcoming atmosphere that delights customers the moment they walk through the door. 

Linda said: “I’ve been the manager here for two and half years and loved every minute of it so far. I love organising the stock and working with the 22 volunteers that we have here. I enjoy greeting and serving the customers, making their shopping experience as enjoyable as possible.

“Our shop's character is defined by the great atmosphere we have and how we interact with each other and our customers. We always have music playing and arrange the shop in the best way possible to make customers feel comfortable and enjoy their time here.” 

Receiving wonderful pieces and items donated by the public, Our Mirfield shop may be compact but is packed with hidden gems, from well known brands like Next, Superdry, Joseph Ribkoff, and Cavani suits to accessories, books and hats.

Sandra, like her late husband Terry, is a long term supporter of The Kirkwood, volunteering at The Kirkwood Mirfield Shop for the last fourteen years, beginning her journey with The Kirkwood in 2010.

“I had just retired at the age of 64 and was pondering about what I would do now I no longer work. I used to walk past the shop and always thought it looked like a nice place, so one day I went inside and was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. I thought to myself, I could volunteer here and give something back with my spare time, so I enquired about volunteering, and have been here ever since. 

“I love the shop and volunteering for it, I love speaking to the customers. The team here are brilliant, and Linda, our shop manager, is fantastic, she’s energetic and so welcoming.”

Charity shops play an important role within the community they serve, providing a place to donate and purchase pre-loved fashions and goods at affordable prices. They also offer a safe environment for individuals seeking advice about The Kirkwood and how to access its services. The Kirkwood Mirfield Shop truly embodies this philosophy, as its team and volunteers support each other through challenging times. Representing our one movement ethos by supporting each other and working together to create a welcoming atmosphere that delights customers and visitors alike.

Coming up next month, we visit The Kirkwood Shop – Holmfirth.