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Mental health charity Mind has opened its very first superstore on The Strand in Longton.
The ribbon was cut by Jack Brereton, MP for Stoke-on-Trent South, who welcomed locals to the store alongside Andrew Vale, managing director of Mind retail, and Mind’s regional manager, Teresa Utley.
The superstore – which is Mind’s biggest charity shop yet – offers everything from vintage clothing to bric-a-brac bargains and furniture.
The charity said that “donations and sales made at the Longton Mind shop will go to help support the one in four of us who will experience a mental health problem every year”.
Mind’s shops have been on the high street for over 50 years and rely on over 3,000 volunteers and 450 staff across England and Wales to keep shops running.
It said it welcomes residents to donate “pre-loved items” and shoppers searching for “affordable fashion or gifts for loved ones”. All the shop’s profit goes to support Mind, for instance by helping the charity deliver care and support in local communities via its network of local Minds, or to fund vital advice and support services such as the Mind Infoline.
Utley said: “We’re so excited to welcome the people of Longton to this new Mind shop. Only with the community’s support will we be able to raise vital funds for Mind’s work such as the Infoline, information and advice services, and the campaigning Mind does to secure a better deal for the one in four of us who experience a mental health problem every year.
“There are very easy ways that everybody can get involved such as donating quality items, volunteering in the shop, or simply shopping at the store. I urge locals to visit the shop or get in touch to find out more about how they can support us.”
