THE Mayor of Warrington, Cllr Faisal Rashid, officially opened the doors of a new larger Changing Lives in Warrington community furniture and homeware store at the Cockhedge Centre in Warrington.
Changing Lives based in Prince Henry Square, is one of a number of outlets across Cheshire designed to provide people on a low income the opportunity to access good quality items for the home at low cost.
Part of the Changing Lives in Cheshire social enterprise, Changing Lives in Warrington also provides employment, training and development opportunities for local people as well as enabling the re-use and recycling of waste to protect the environment.
Chief executive officer of Changing Lives in Cheshire Gary Cliffe said: “We’ve had presence in Warrington for some time now and have received tremendous support from the Warrington community, helping more than 3,000 families across Cheshire & Warrington last year through our community partnerships.”
Head of retail sales for Changing Lives in Warrington, Ingrid Barlow said: “Our new larger showroom at the Cockhedge Centre now means that there is a much bigger choice of new and preloved items for families to choose from. Our new ranges include garden furniture too; we have everything you need to furnish your family home – including paint at a great price!”
She added: “Changing Lives in Warrington also offers a free collection service for any unwanted and preloved furniture and household items. We can also arrange delivery of your new purchases straight to your door.”
Craig Anderson, chief executive officer at the Furniture Re-use Network (FRN) which supports more than 200 charity stores across the UK added: “It’s fantastic to see one of our member charities expanding. In these times of austerity and cuts, the service they provide has become more vital. With 14 million UK households unable to afford a single household item at any one time, having more furniture re-use stores across the UK means more people are helped and more furniture saved from landfill.”
The Mayor added: ”It really is great to see how successful this initiative has been in Warrington and the support you have had from local volunteers. I’d urge local people to come and visit the new showroom and donate what they can to make sure that Changing Lives in Warrington continues to give back to and support the Warrington community.”
All sorts of goods are needed by the new store, including electrical goods, sofas and armchairs, beds, tables, wardrobes and bric-a-brac.
Donations can be collected free of charge by calling 01925 634112 or visit the website www.clic-changinglives.org.uk
