A Caerphilly fundraising group for a leading end of life charity have set up a pop-up shop in the town centre to support people living with a terminal illness, and their loved ones.
Marie Curie’s Caerphilly fundraising group opened the store in an empty unit in the town’s Castle Court shopping centre and had crafts and “nearly new” clothes up for sale. The store, set up on October 22 and 23, was officially opened by the town’s MS, Hefin David.
The group, which is made up of 11 members from the Caerphilly, Trethomas and Bedwas area has been running for 10 years and members support Marie Curie’s major fundraising campaigns including the Great Daffodil Appeal as well as organising a host of their own activities. They also help raise awareness of Marie Curie and how the charity’s services can support people living with a terminal illness locally and across Wales. In the last decade, they have raised £87,394.84 for the charity.
The money they raise will help Marie Curie provide care and support to people living with a terminal illness and their loved ones. The charity offers support for people dealing with terminal illness and bereavement through it’s Information and Support line a free and confidential telephone and web chat service. They also offer bereavement support and a check in and chat befriending service to help people who feel isolated due to their conditions which has been especially prevalent this past year.
Hefin David MS said: “It’s such a pleasure to meet volunteers who are so dedicated to making a difference in their own community and to people across Wales who are living with or caring for someone with a terminal illness, or who have been bereaved.
“In the last Senedd term we lost our Plaid and UKIP colleagues Steffan Lewis and Sam Gould to bowel Cancer. Despite our political differences, we had good personal friendships. We miss them greatly. Support provided to those bereaved is exactly what is needed in such circumstances.
“The Marie Curie volunteers are wonderful, so thank you to Margaret, Frances, David, Charli and the three Lindas for having me.
“I wish the group all the very best with the pop-up shop and their continued fundraising support for Marie Curie.”
Community fundraiser for South East Wales, Charli Thomas, said: “The Caerphilly group members have been so vital in continuing the community support throughout the past 18 months of the pandemic. Their ingenuity in coming up with different ideas while we all faced restrictions has been so inspiring, and they’ve continued thinking of new ideas, like the pop-up shop, now restrictions have been eased. Thank you to each of the members for their dedication.”
