A charity shop supporting children and young people with life-threatening conditions is opening its first Hertfordshire store in Royston.

East Anglia Children’s Hospices (EACH) has acquired the High Street premises in Royston formerly occupied by Woolworths, and will open at 10am on Thursday, January 21.

The new shop will sell a range of goods including clothes, paperback books, DVDs and CDs, toys, jewellery, vintage clothes, bric-a-brac and small electrical items. Any donations of the above items, if they are clean and of good quality, can be dropped off at the shop from Monday, January 18.

EACH is also looking for donations of good quality furniture, and can collect it for free if donors are unable to transport it themselves. For more information call 01842 821620.

Sarah Throssell, EACH acting head of retail, said: “At a time when very few of the usual fundraising activities that are so vital to us are able to take place, it’s even more important our shops continue bringing in money and, after such an unexpected year on the high street, we’re thrilled to be able to add to our chain and expand to a new area.

“The signs are up and I’m delighted we’ve already had enquiries about volunteering. We strive for all our shops to be real community hubs, so we’ll hope to see many from Royston and surrounding areas popping in to say hello, and find a bargain, once we’re open!”

The Royston shop will be the first EACH store opening in 10 months, after the last new shop was opened in Colchester just before the first lockdown.

EACH provides care for hundreds of children and young people, as well as offering support to their families. The charity has three hospices – with the nearest one to Royston in Milton, just north of Cambridge, and also delivers its services in family homes and in hospitals.

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen voluntary donations take a huge hit, and the charity has forecasted a loss of £2.2m in funding over the next 12 months – a third of the total it needs to continue to support families in need.

In between lockdowns the charity has been trying to get trade back to the level it needs, and hopes opening the new shop in Royston will be a boost towards that goal.