A Legacy of Giving and Sustainability
Originally the brainchild of Maggie Lunan, the shop began in 1983 as a modest fundraiser for Chris>an Aid. A one-week trial in a borrowed workshop revealed just how eager the local community was to rally behind meaningful causes. Soon after, it found a permanent home in the manse garage, establishing itself as a hub of generosity. Opening on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons
– strategically aimed to coincide with family allowance day – it ensured accessibility for those most in need.
In its inaugural year, the shop’s proceeds supported both Chris>an Aid and the church’s bicentenary hall fund. Over >me, its reach broadened dramatically, with donations contributing to youth organisations, Women’s Aid, the Lhanbryde Community Centre Repairs Fund and The Parish Hall, Urquhart among many others. For a decade, its funds even enabled the employment of a part-time community worker – a living symbol of its role in nurturing both spiritual and practical wellbeing.
Today, the Thrift Shop raises around £6,000 annually through both in-store and online sales. But behind this financial figure stands a dynamic team of 26 volunteers. Seventeen serve on the frontlines, welcoming customers, tidying displays and managing the money float. Five focus on the stock room alone, while four bridge both worlds. Two volunteers manage media sales, and two
others step in occasionally when extra help is needed.
Goods donated to the shop are carefully sorted – either shelved for future use or transferred to the shop floor as requested. Items that we can’t sell here are never wasted; they are either bagged and labelled for Blythswood collections, delivered by volunteers to other charity shops in Elgin and Forres, or placed in Salvation Army and Cash for Kids bins. Select donations are shared with a local homeless charity, reflecting the shop’s ongoing commitment to meeting real needs with dignity.
Beyond financial aid, The Thrift Shop plays a crucial role in sustainability, community development, and charitable outreach, aligning itself with the Five Marks of Mission and doughnut sustainability as it champions Loving and Serving others through:
- Affordable Access: Offering low-cost essentials to ease financial hardship and to support charitable efforts.
- Reducing Waste: Encouraging reuse to minimize landfill and reduce new production.
- Safeguarding Creation using the Circular Economy: Extending product lifespans and lowering resource consumption.
- Community Building: Strengthening connections and local support networks.
- Education & Awareness: Inspiring sustainable and ethical consumer choices.
- Evangelism with a small e: Explaining that this is something the church supports
The Thrift Shop isn’t just about bargains – It’s a movement for change, sustainability and compassion, one purchase at a time.
