Blythe House Hospice’s New Mills charity shop has been shortlisted for the UK’s Favourite Charity Shop Awards for the East Midlands. The winner will now be decided by a public vote.
The Awards, run by the Charity Retail Association, are now in their second year and are a celebration of the impact that charity shops have within their local communities. For many, charity shops are more than a place to pick up a second-hand bargain – they are community hubs that employ local people, help volunteers find friendship, and offer support to those with first-hand experience of the causes they support.
More than 5,000 nominations were received this year and, as part of the process, people were asked to share why they were nominating their favourite shop. When asked what makes Blythe House’s New Mills shop so special, members of the public said:
- “Small but perfectly formed. Treasure trove of goodies. Regular stock changes. Good prices and all for a good cause.”
- “Friendly and helpful staff who always show care and consideration to their customers. A wonderful cause. The shop is always well kept and laid out and a wonderful addition to the community.”
Jayne Oldham, New Mills Shop Manager, said: ‘We are absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted for the UK’s Favourite Charity Shop Awards in the East Midlands. This recognition is a real testament to the incredible support we receive from our dedicated team of volunteers, who work so hard to make the shop a welcoming and vibrant place. The New Mills shop has truly become a hub for our local community – a place where people come together, connect, and support one another. We are so grateful to our wonderful donors and shoppers whose generosity helps us continue raising vital funds for Blythe House Hospice. We wouldn’t be here without them, and this shortlisting is as much theirs as it is ours.’
Robin Osterley OBE, Chief Executive of the Charity Retail Association, said: ‘Congratulations to all the shops that made the shortlist and thank you to everyone who made a nomination. The level of support the Awards continue to inspire highlights just how much charity shops mean to their local communities. We are now calling on the public to cast their votes and decide which shops will be crowned winners in 12 areas across the UK.’
Please vote for New Mills Blythe House Hospice shop by midnight on Thursday 2nd October.
Over 70 players were on par for patient care as they raised £9,404.55 for Blythe House Hospice.
Our annual fundraising golf day at Chapel-en-le-Frith Golf Club took place on Friday 1st August. The weather was reported to be “perfect for golfing” which helped the camaraderie and friendly competition in aid of local hospice care.
The winning team Wayne Griffiths and Ryan Lockett from Street Crane picked up two golf bags kindly donated by Pak-Pro; second place David and Anne Hatton bagged themselves a £75 John Lewis voucher sponsored by a kind donor who wished to remain anonymous. Third place, James Butterick and Karen Williamson got a golf top donated by Cath Hallam; Glenlivet Single Malt Whisky donated by Tim Mourne went to fourth place Garie Bevan and Paul Mellor. Fifth prize was two sleeves of golf balls from HD Sharman and they went to Tim Newton and Lande Pee; and a box of balls and tees, sponsored by The Rachel Coram Foundation were the prize for sixth place team, John and Alex Newell. John and his wife, Lizzie kindly sponsored the ‘Nearest the Pin’ competition too.
Rachael Gee, our Fundraising and Events Coordinator, said: ‘It was a pleasure, as always, to see everyone at Chapel-en-le-Frith Golf Club on Friday in support of local hospice care. Our Roaming Car team travels around 70 miles each night between 8pm and 8am, delivering essential care across North Derbyshire – including nursing support, symptom and medication management, emotional support, personal care, catheter care, and verification of expected death.
‘This service allows people to remain comfortable and supported in their own homes, helping to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and ambulance callouts. Funds raised at the golf day will help to sustain vital hospice services like this.
‘We’re incredibly grateful to our generous headline supporter, who has chosen to remain anonymous. We’re also thankful to the many local businesses and organisations who sponsored tees, greens and golf balls – enabling more of the money raised to go directly towards patient care.’
If you’d like to swing into action to support local hospice care, you can join the hospice’s Sicklehome Golf Day on Friday 29th August at Sickleholme Golf Club, Bamford, Derbyshire. Team registration is £260 for a group of four including 18 holes of golf, a buffet meal and exciting prizes. Book now!
Photos of the event taken by Evie-Mae Mcauliffe, volunteer photographer
Thanks to the following local businesses and organisations for their support in ensuring this event was a huge success:
- 24/7 Plumber
- Alta Hair Studio
- Cath Hallam
- Chapel Tool Hire
- H Studio Tattoo
- High Peak Comps
- High Peak Netball
- High Peak Tech Ltd.
- Jarva Fine Art
- John and Lizzie Newell
- KBS Oakes Partnership
- Mourne and Co.
- NFU Mutual
- Otter Controls
- Pak-Pro
- Reisser
- S Drinkwater and Son Ltd.
- HD Sharmans
- SK23 Design
- Solar Point
- TF Jackson
- The Rachel Coram Foundation
- Tim Mourne
- Trusted IT
It was a day of blue skies and camaraderie as over 80 golfers took to the greens in Buxton to raise £7,632 for Blythe House Hospice.
The Buxton & High Peak Charity Golf Day, held on Friday 16th May 2025, was a resounding success, as 21 teams gathered under glorious sunshine for a memorable day on the course.
The atmosphere was full of friendly competition and generous spirit, all in aid of local hospice care. The event also featured games on the course and a popular bottle tombola, which added to the fun and helped boost the final fundraising total.
Rachael Gee, Fundraising & Events Co-ordinator at Blythe House, said: ‘We were incredibly fortunate with the weather, which added to the fantastic atmosphere throughout the day. It was a real pleasure to welcome so many teams to the event – more than 80 golfers all coming together to support a cause close to their hearts.
‘We’re hugely grateful to our headline sponsor, Pak Pro of Whaley Bridge, for their continued support of the hospice, and to Buxton and High Peak Golf Club for hosting the event so generously for the past seven years. Thanks also to Buxton Woodworks, our ball sponsor, as well as all our brilliant tee sponsors, our wonderful volunteers, and of course, every single player who made the day such a tremendous success.’
It now costs over £2.3 million every year to keep services at Blythe House Hospice running. Over 70% of the hospice’s income comes from the generous support of the local community through donations, charity shops and events like this.
Funds raised help ensure that Blythe House Hospice can continue providing vital, free care and support to patients and families across the High Peak, Derbyshire Dales and North East Derbyshire.
Golf enthusiasts who missed out on this event – or simply want another swing at supporting local hospice care – have two more fantastic opportunities to get involved this summer:
You are warmly invited to take part in our heartfelt Sunflower Memories appeal– a unique opportunity to celebrate the life of someone special while supporting vital hospice care across the High Peak, Derbyshire Dales and North East Derbyshire.
Throughout June, we’ll be planting vibrant sunflower plaques in the hospice garden. Each sunflower will bear the name of someone being lovingly remembered, with dedications made in return for a donation to help fund the charity’s compassionate end-of-life care.
A special remembrance service, open to anyone to attend, will also take place at 11am on Saturday 28th June, where the names of loved ones will be read aloud by the hospice team.
Rachel Bainbridge has dedicated a sunflower in memory of her beloved mum, Marion, from Chapel-en-le-Frith.
To read Rachel’s story, and dedicate a sunflower in memory of someone you love, visit the webpage.
