Newsroom

After a week of clearing out old stock, through cleaning the facility and restocking shelves, the shop finally opened for the sale of winter clothing on Monday 25th May. Shopping was very different with half of the shop cordoned off and the customers having to go through all the safety protocols before entering. During the reduced hours of business, it was heartening to welcome back our customers after more than a month.

Warm clothes were very popular and shelves and rails had to be stocked each morning with fresh, sanitized goods. During level 4 of the lockdown, our board arranged for almost 40 large bags of winter clothes to be distributed to needy communities in Hermanus. The networking with Kari Bryce and the municipality to achieve this under lockdown was most successfull.

Since Monday 1st June, the shop has been fully operational. Once again the books, DVD’s and jigsaw puzzles were top sellers and it was clear that many of our customers had run out of entertainment during the extended lockdown. The physical distancing and the limiting of numbers allowed in the shop at one time has meant that queues outside the shop doors have bercome quite lengthy – however, most of our customers have remained patient and have appreciated a uncrowded shopping experience.

A special word of thanks is extended to our donors who kept their donations until we were able to collect them. Eddy’s collections are now in full swing on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All goods are now taken into the rear of the shop where they are sanitized and sorted to ensure that a quarantine period is observed until donated goods finally make it on to the shelves and rails.We have been blessed by the generosity of our donors and we often feel bad that they cannot see our smiles of gratitude behind our masks!

Petro, the staff and the volunteers have achieved wonderful things in the “new normal” where we have often had to make changes on a day-to-day basis. Many of the changes will stay with us for some time, but be assured that we will continue to regards the safety of our people seriously. Our shop is just too important for so many people in Hermanus for it to fail in any way.

If you have not visited us since we have opened; come and say hello. Our volunteers can be found behind the new counter screen and will be smiling at you even if you are unable to see this behind their masks.

Our Shop hours during the lockdown period are as follow:

Monday – Friday  09h00 – 15h00

Saturdays            09h00 – 12h00

keep safe!.

Overstrand Hospice Board.