A NEW kind of charity shop has opened its doors in the heart of Bury.

Reuse charity Re>Build has launched the initiative from premises in the town's Market Street. The new shop has been officially opened by the Mayor of Bury, Cllr Stella Smith.

The shop, made possible by the Mill Gate centre, is selling vintage, retro and pre-loved furniture and collectables, along with hand-crafted planters, bird boxes and bird tables made from reclaimed wood by its volunteers.

The new store will support the work of Re>Build which was set up to provide affordable furniture for disadvantaged families, including those referred from various agencies. This is still its core work, with more than 1,500 families being helped in the last year alone.

In addition, the charity has worked with hundreds of people who have needed work experience, confidence building, friendship, and practical and emotional support.

Liz Jackson, the organisation’s chief officer, said: “We are able to build on our environment-friendly reuse project to offer opportunities for unemployed people to get some work experience or help us by becoming volunteers. In return, we offer training which they can add to their CV, plus an up-to-date reference. Our project is extremely successful for those who join us and we have a constant turnover of volunteers as they move into paid employment."

Wishing Re>Build every success, the Mayor of Bury commented: "It is great that people who really need to manage on a very tight budget have the dignity of choosing what they need."

The organisation has just launched a volunteer recruitment drive for the new store. Anyone who has experience of a customer-facing work environment and would like to join the Re>Build team should pop in the shop to chat to staff, ring 0161 764 0444 or visit www.rebuildbury.org.uk