Cancer Research UK has opened 2 more Superstores bringing their total Superstores to eleven.
The latest store opened recently in Stevenage, this being their largest retail store, and in Dec 16 they opened their store in Hull.
These stores really are packed with all manner of goods for all the family plus house and home.
Stevenage 2 Oaklands Retail Park, London Rd, SG1 1XW, 01438 359207
Hull 16 Anlaby Retail Park, Springfield Way, HU10 6RJ, 01482 503218
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STEVENAGE SUPERSTORE
MUM AND EIGHT-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER TO OPEN CANCER RESEARCH UK’S BIGGEST SUPERSTORE
A MUM battling cancer and her eight-year-old daughter who has survived the disease after being diagnosed as a toddler will be the VIP guests as Cancer Research UK opens its biggest ever superstore in Stevenage next week.
The 8,000sq ft store at Oaklands Retail Park, is not only the first in Stevenage but will also be the biggest CRUK shop in Britain.
As well as being packed with thousands of items from clothing to home accessories it will also stock a range of great quality bargain furniture, being the first CRUK store with a furniture focus.
The new store will also be fitted out with an information room and nurses hotline, enabling customers to have direct access to accurate cancer information from our team of dedicated nurses at Cancer Research UK.
Guests of honour on the day to help officially open the shop will be Stevenage mum-of-three and cancer patient Kelly Richardson and her youngest child, cancer survivor Lily Beecham.
Kelly, 34, was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer called myelofibrosis after regular tests she has for another medical condition picked up an abnormality.
She learned she had cancer after helping daughter Lily through a tough two-year battle with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia which was diagnosed when she was two-years-old.
Kelly is now having her blood levels regularly monitored by doctors but will have to receive chemotherapy before a bone marrow transplant from her younger sister Kirsty Richardson that is likely to take place later this year.
Kelly, who is also mum to Layla, 16, and Jay, 15, said: “Finding out that I had cancer after watching my little girl bravely go through treatment for leukaemia felt like a real kick in the guts to me. I still cannot believe it and I try not to dwell on what is coming because I have three children to take care of and worry about, not just my health.”
Lily – who is now a pupil at Woolgrove School in Letchworth – was rushed to hospital in 2010 suffering a temperature that would not come down. Kelly told how the toddler’s face had also turned yellow and mysterious bruises had appeared on her legs.
She spent the next two years in and out of hospital, receiving chemotherapy.
Kelly said: “I am so proud of her and how she came through such a traumatic experience. Whenever I allow myself to think of my cancer I think of Lily and I know that if she can come through this then so can I.
“It’s a real honour for us to be asked to open Stevenage’s brand new superstore. It’s exciting to see Cancer Research UK opening not only a shop here but also giving local people a place where they can come and get help and advice from a qualified nurse about concerns they have.”
Every year around 430 people are diagnosed with cancer in Stevenage* while around 5,800 people are diagnosed across Hertfordshire**.
Explaining the function of the information room and nurses hotline, Martin Ledwick, Head Cancer Information Nurse at Cancer Research UK, said: “As well as using our shops to find a bargain, many people want to find out how they can get help or information when someone they know has been diagnosed with cancer.
“Our nurses all have many years cancer nursing experience and can answer questions about any aspect of cancer, from warning symptoms, through diagnosis and treatment and beyond.
“We’ve put the phone in a private area of the shop so people will have the confidence to talk about anything they want to and not be overheard.”
The new superstore will offer furniture as well as quality adults and children’s clothing and accessories, books, media and homeware, giving customers an affordable way to shop. All profit supports the charity’s life-saving research.
Along with items donated by the public and surplus stock gifted by high street corporate supporters of the charity, the Stevenage superstore sells a range of new greetings cards.
The Stevenage superstore will be the 12th Cancer Research UK shop to open its doors in Hertfordshire and brings the charity’s high street portfolio across the UK to 594.
Simon Ledsham, Director of Trading, Volunteering and Events for Cancer Research UK, said: “We are delighted to be opening our biggest ever store here in Stevenage. As well as providing the usual mix of quality items, we are proud that furniture will also be available at bargain prices.
“Our smaller superstores have already proved a real hit with customers elsewhere in the country. We thought Stevenage, being alongside other discount stores, was a great location for our biggest yet and we are thrilled to be adding our own discount offering to the mix.”
The shop will be open seven days a week, from 9.30am-6pm Monday to Saturday and 10am-4pm on Sunday.
For more information about Cancer Research UK visit www.cruk.org/shops or follow @CRUKshops on Twitter.
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HULL SUPERSTORE
MOTHER AND SON CANCER SURVIVORS OPEN NEW CANCER RESEARCH UK SUPERSTORE IN HULL
A NORTH FERRIBY MUM and her 11 year old son, who have both beaten cancer, will be the special guests to officially open East Yorkshire’s biggest Cancer Research UK shop.
Opening its doors to the public at 11 am on Thursday 8 December 2016, the discount ‘superstore’ at Anlaby Retail Park, is the latest addition to the charity’s high street portfolio of 595 shops across the UK and sees a return to the City after its Paragon Street shop closed in June 2009.
As part of Cancer Research UK’s plan to meet customer demand for more accessible stores, along with easy access and plenty of free parking, the 2,500 sq ft shop will become the charity’s 10TH superstore in the UK, and the first in East Yorkshire.
There will be much more on offer, everything from quality clothing to books, accessories, children’s wear, toys and homeware, and all will be on sale for £3 or less – giving people in the area an affordable way to shop with all the profits going to support the charity’s life-saving research.
There will be fresh stock on offer every day. And along with donated items, there is a range of brand new greetings cards, accessories and surplus stock gifted from well-known retail corporate supporters of Cancer Research UK.
In a first for the charity in Yorkshire, where 80 people a day are diagnosed with cancer, there will also be a cancer engagement room where customers will be able to pick up information about cancer and use a hotline to the Cancer Research UK nurse helpline (freephone 0808 800 4040) where they can speak directly and confidentially about any cancer worries they may have.
After the challenge of seeing her baby son go through retinoblastoma, a rare type of eye cancer, Paula McLaren, 46, was herself diagnosed with cancer five years later.
“It was heart-breaking to see my 11 month old beautiful baby boy go through something as awful as cancer at such a young age, and I was devastated for him when it took his eye. I then went through the added stress of losing my business, moving home back to the UK from the US and then a divorce. But I never expected that cancer would come back and bite me again when, in the space of five years, I found myself diagnosed with breast cancer aged 40”.
In May 2011 Paula found a small lump on her right breast. She went to her GP straight away and was referred to Castle Hill Hospital for tests which confirmed it was cancer, but fortunately at an early stage. Paula went on to have surgery to remove the lump, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She then started a course of Tamoxifen, but unfortunately had to stop taking it after a bad reaction.
While going through treatment she wrote down notes for herself as a form of therapy. Only after all her treatment finished did she realise how much information she had collected and thought her experiences – practical and emotional advice which could help other women going through breast cancer. The result was a book “Paula McLaren’s Top Tips When Dealing With A Breast Cancer Diagnosis”, published in 2013.
Today Paula and William are both able to say they have beaten cancer. “Will has done so well and thanks to the treatment he was able to have as a baby, he’s been able to grow up and be a strong, happy and bright 11 year old in his first year at South Hunsley school. And I am back in business again, promoting an Aloe Vera based ranged of products for maintaining health and wellness.”
Paula added: “I am delighted and really proud to be here today with Will to cut the ribbon and mark the opening of this fabulous new shop, which looks amazing. Research is crucial for beating cancer and I am especially excited by the work being done by Cancer Research UK to find more bespoke and targeted treatments.
“And although I am a busy, single mum, I am hoping to give some time back and volunteer here myself, helping raise even more money for research.”
The manager of the new Cancer Research UK shop is Drew Hickling, 25, who joined the charity in May. Ex- teacher Drew had spent a year volunteering in the charity’s Beverley Shop following his own mum’s cancer diagnosis. After seeing how important research funding was to him, his family and the customers he served, he was inspired to change career and take up the challenge of running his own store to help raise even more money to help others.
Drew, who already has a great team of volunteers waiting to greet the first shoppers through the door, said: “We’re delighted to be opening this fabulous new shop in Hull. Everything costs £3 or less and we hope that local people will pop in and see what bargains can be found. There’s lots of free parking right outside, so it is easy to drop off any unwanted items to donate to us.
“We are so grateful to Paula and Will for coming along to be our special guests to cut the ribbon and officially open the shop. Her and Will’s story really brings home the importance of raising funds to support the charity’s ground-breaking work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. And it is also so important to me, as my own mum recently went through cancer treatment.”
Hanging tickets detailing the charity’s science and stories are dotted through the clothing rails.
Drew added: “As well as providing a great shopping experience, we hope the shop will inform, engage and inspire our supporters.
“People can help get our new shop off to a flying start by shopping with us, donating stock for our shelves or generously offering their time as volunteers.
“We have a number of volunteer roles on offer – from serving customers to merchandising the displays. No matter how much time a person can give or what their experience, we would love for them to get in touch by either calling into the shop or giving us a call on 01482 503218.”
The shop will be open seven days a week, from 9:30 am to 6 pm Monday to Saturday, till 8pm on Thursdays and from 10 am to 4 pm on Sundays.
For more information about Cancer Research UK visit www.cruk.org/shops
or follow @CRUKshops on Twitter.