AFTER 18 long months, the MS shop in Stanhope has re-opened with a whole new refurbishment and lots of high-quality goods at very affordable prices.
The official opening was a step back in time with all the old faces gathering together to celebrate a new beginning. It was organised by the committee who were delighted to show off the new-look shop with a brand new wooden flooring and re-painted, the work being done by Trades 4 Care and Weardale Flooring. County Councillor Anita Savory, a long serving member of the Committee, along with Chairman, Maureen Stanton, also from Wolsingham, were on the door, welcoming invited guests and enjoying their expressions of joy and surprise.
Councillor Anita Savory welcomes Ruby Iley and Pat Percival.
And the guests kept on coming – Pat Percival and Lynn Walton – who were two of the founding members of what would become the Stanhope and Weardale MS Society in the early 1990s. Yvonne Dinsdale, whose father had MS was another from the early days, and it is her son who has created the new website. Betty Roberts, the former Chairman of the Society made it too. Now in her 80s, Betty was the driving force behind the opening of the shop in 1999/2000. There were others, who, over the years have been part of the backbone, working ceaselessly and without any reward other than seeing people with MS in the Dale benefit.
Two long-serving volunteers – past and present- of the organisation, Yvonne Dinsdale and Betty Roberts.
Ruby Iley, another long-serving volunteer whose family has been affected by the condition, Sandra Richardson, Susan Hogarth, Angela Bolam Anderson, Ellen Humphries were others who were present and who have worked hard in the past and returned to join in the celebrations. Some faces, of course, were missing, including Kitty Stobbs and Maureen Epsly, much missed by all.
Volunteers Susan and Angie enjoy a game of chess on a donated item.
Glenis Robinson was there ,a former Nursing Sister at the Weardale Community Hospital, who along with Julie Walton, Modern Matron, was heavily involved and indeed the hospital and the Stanhope and Weardale MS Society worked closely together. Sadly, Julie couldn’t be there but Helen Griffin and her husband, Tony, managed it, travelling from their home in North Yorkshire. Helen was a prominent Committee Member and Tony did the accountants.
All the old faces were back and shop was positively buzzing with excitement and reminisces.
Those who had worked on the refurbishment were there too with an air of satisfaction for a job well done.
When everyone was in place, Cllr Savory made the official welcome with a well-composed speech below the stunning hand-painted sign on the wall behind the counter done by two young people, Imy and Ben – the counter being built by young students from Durham New College. Proudly displaying the new name of the organisation – Stanhope and Wear Valley MS Community Support.
Anita Savory began with the scant explanation of how the shop had been forced to close down but enough to say a battle began to get it back up and running. Major works needed doing, including a new floor.
“A lot of time has passed since that day and we have a lot of people to thank for helping us to re-open, “ she said. “Many people thought the shop would never open again but here we are on the eve of its re-opening and we are bigger and better– thanks to so many people who refused to give in. And we would like to thank you all for your loyalty and your patience.
“The people who have helped us along the way include Ian Shuttleworth, Gary Gibson, Trades 4 Care who did all of the decorating. Some guy called Reggie Savory turned up to knock the old changing room out; Wayne Hindmarsh from Weardale Flooring: Lakes and Dales Co-op, which provided refreshments this evening and, of course, the committee itself.
“It is wonderful to see so many former stalwarts of this Society here. Betty Roberts, Pat Percival, Ruby Iley, probably without whose drive and passion in bygone years, the shop would not have started in the first place. Our nurses – Lyn Walton, Glenis Robinson, Catherine Ormerod – throughout their service, they have nursed many, many patients with the illness. Catherine gave me a quote the other week and she said, ‘I’m so pleased that the shop is going to open again because when we went to the Practice for something for a patient and we weren’t able to have it, we came to the MS and the committee provided it. They were a lifesaver and a Godsend.’
“People like Helen and Tony Griffin, Kathleen Nattrass and not forgetting Kitty who is no longer with us. We also have friends – and new friends here this evening. Clare Gibbons from the Weardale Railway, Shaun, Lewis Maddison from one of the biggest live events in the Dale, the Stanhope Weekender – indeed our wonderful window displays are advertising the event which will take place next month.
So tomorrow, we open to the public and our name will be as it always was – New 2 You – we have once again our OWN bank account , a new charity number and the slogan will be as it was – ‘WHAT IS RAISED IN THE DALE, STAYS IN THE DALE’.
“We hope that the wonderful Weardale people and those beyond will once again get behind us and lend their support. Lastly, but most importantly, thanks go to our volunteers . We are truly grateful for all your unseen hard work – sorting, pricing, cleaning windows, window dressing – all eager with one common goal, to get this shop door open again. Thank you all, we couldn’t have done it without you!”
Anita finally introduced a new volunteer – Henry the hoover in the new MS colours of black and green, a personal gift from her.
Everyone there, raised their glasses to ‘the future’ after which there was a huge round of applause.
The Stanhope and Weardale Society’s shop is back up and running so please do support it because your donations will go to aid all of those people in Weardale who live daily with the affects of MS. Weardale has the second highest incident rate of MS in the country and although visitors may not be aware of that because much of it is unseen, the volunteers know and understand just how difficult life can be for those people even if not many are aware of those who benefit.
The Society AND the shop are totally dependent on volunteers and if you would like to help in any way, pop into the shop and let them know.
Well done one and all, not only for what has been done in the past but for what will be done in the future.
