A pre-loved fashion shop is set to open in Hitchin's Churchgate Shopping Centre at the end of July, with Garden House Hospice Care promising it's "different to any local charity shop you've been to before".

Threads - named by a member of the hospice team following an internal competition - will exclusively stock clothes and fashion accessories, and "will look and feel a lot different to a traditional charity shop", a spokesperson for the hospice said. 

"Threads is focused on pre-loved fashion items, providing the people of Hitchin with a new place to get sustainable and affordable fashion," she explained.

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Nicola Rodgers, manager of the new shop, which is opposite the charity's Vintage House shop, said: "Threads is about changing the way we shop, and the fashion industry has to change.

"Buying pre-loved fashion is at the forefront of reducing fast fashion’s impact on our planet and it gives traditional retail brands the time they need to change their methods of manufacture.

"Shopping pre-loved is the modern way that will give us all a better future, and having a dedicated shop locally helps support a valuable local resource, Garden House Hospice Care."

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There are plenty of opportunities for volunteers to get involved at Threads, with shifts from Monday to Saturday. Shifts can be as little as two hours.

"Volunteering is a fantastic way to develop new skills, gain experience, improve confidence and make new friends," said the hospice spokesperson.

"If you are looking for a work reference or some experience to add to an application form, this could be a great opportunity for you. It could even be on a short-term basis over the summer."

You don’t need any prior retail experience to volunteer at Threads, but the hospice is looking for people interested in fashion, sustainability or giving back to their local community.

The hospice is holding a volunteer information session at its Hitchin Bancroft shop on Thursday, July 6, from 5pm to 7pm, where you will have the chance to find out more about the new shop, meet some existing volunteers and sign up to a shift that works for you.

To sign up to the session, visit ghhospicecare.org.uk/volunteer-information-sessions.