Willen Hospice refurbishing much-lovedWoburn Sands shop and cafe

Willen Hospice’s popular shop and cafe in Woburn Sands is being refurbished during April to give customers a better experience and help raise more money for local palliative and end-of-life care.

The shop will close temporarily on Thursday 9 April for the refit and re-open on Friday 1 May. Customers can expect to see a more comfortable, better defined seating area for the cafe, and a bigger selection of ladies clothing and accessories, which make up nearly a third of all sales. 

Moving into the Station Road store in 2020, during the pandemic, meant that the Hospice were only able to carry out very basic redecoration. Despite Covid-19 restrictions, more than 10,000 items were sold in that first year. Strong support from the Woburn Sands community has helped the shop grow ever since. It now sells an impressive 60,000 items and 13,000 servings of tea, coffee and cake every year. The in-store cafe is kept busy with locals looking for a welcoming, social space to stop for a break. And all of the cakes are freshly made at the Hospice’s main café in Willen.

The Hospice has 15 shops across Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas, which generate more than a quarter of its income. This helps make sure its expert clinical teams can continue caring for local people affected by life-limiting illness, completely free of charge.

Associate Director of Retail, Ian Palmer, said: “Retail is a critical slice of the Hospice’s income, and with rising costs, the pressure to increase what we raise is real and ongoing. This is why we’re continuing to improve our shops and make them more attractive to local shoppers, through clearer layouts and a more consistent Hospice feel. We’ve recently invested in our Stony Stratford, Brooklands and Oxley Park stores, so we have plenty of learnings we can bring to Woburn Sands.”

Linda Jones is one of the Team Leaders at Woburn Sands. She said: “Around two‑thirds of the items we sell are donated directly into the shop by local residents. Because of the consistently good quality of items we receive, we also supply the Hospice’s eBay team with branded handbags, shoes and premium clothing. Selling online helps the Hospice maximise the value it gets from people’s kind donations.

“Our aim is to remain here for as long as the community support us. We’re proud of the shop, proud of the café, and proud of what the people of Woburn Sands help us achieve for Willen Hospice. We look forward to welcoming our customers again at the re-opening on Friday 1 May.”

To find out your nearest Willen Hospice shop, visit willen-hospice.org.uk/shop. You can also keep up to date with shop events and sales, by following Willen Hospice Shops on Facebook and Instagram.