Sales of Ed Sheeran’s clothes raised £1,500 for East Anglia’s Chidlren’s Hospices in the first hour of trading as the charity’s new store opened in Ely.
While Soham schoolboy Liam Johnson cut the ribbon, having netted £22,50 for EACH by organising two football matches in memory of his sister, customers queued along High Street eager to get their hands on the 33 items of clothing which were worn by popstar and EACH ambassador Ed.
Shop manager Gillian Platell said: “It’s been absolutely amazing, there’s been a lovely buzz about the place and I think I’m going to have to totally restock this weekend. The launch has been a resounding success.”
The store, in High Street, was opened on October 4 by Soham schoolboy Liam Johnson, who was chosen to cut the ribbon having organised two football matches for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) netting £22,509. It is expected that £600 has been raised from the sale of the popstar’s t-shirts, jeans and jackets.
Liam, 12, was thanked by the Mayor of Ely, Councillor Mike Rouse, and Joe Hemsley-Rudd, of Ellgia, for his support.
Liam organised football games in memory of his twin sister, Lucy, who died in April. Liam and Lucy, as well as their older sister, Katie, 14, and parents, Sharon and Andrew, all received care and support from EACH.
Lucy lived with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a rare and severe type of epilepsy, had global developmental delay and was registered blind. She benefited from hydrotherapy, music therapy and short breaks at EACH’s Milton hospice, and that is where she spent her final days, surrounded by family and friends.
Football-mad Liam wanted to raise money for the hospice to say thank you for the care they provided when it was needed most.
With help from parents Andrew and Sharon, Liam they organised charity football matches, a fun day and an evening party at Soham Town Rangers’ ground.
Liam’s football matches followed the efforts of a 32-strong group of family and friends who ran EACH’s Inflatable Colour Dash, in June at Huntingdon Racecourse, to raise over £7,000.
EACH cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions, and supports their families, across Cambridgeshire and the rest of the region. It costs more than £16,000 a day to run the service.
In the past financial year, EACH shops generated an impressive profit of over £900,000. The charity’s newest outlet in Ely will offer the same range of high-quality goods customers of its existing shops are used to, focusing specifically on ladies wear.
The shop, in High Street, will trade seven days a week.
EACH opened five shops across the region last year, including one in Cherry Hinton. As well as a shop in Soham, the charity has also opened four in Norfolk, one in Suffolk and one in Essex so far in 2018. This latest one in Ely will be its 34th overall.
Anyone interested in more information on volunteering at the Ely shop should email volunteerservices@each.org.uk or call Sarah on 07540 335680.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here