Vibes Community Shop in Cornwall reopens after Covid closure

The Vibes Community Shop and hub, which is part of the All Saints Church Community Centre, celebrated its reopening yesterday (Nov 3) after having battled through the pandemic and lockdowns in order to keep its offerings viable.

The charity shop raises money for the All Saints Church Community Centre but also finds itself taking on various different roles to help the local community.

All of the services available at the community centre are available through the charity shop, and it is also a registered 'Safe Space' under the Safe Futures scheme.

Zoe Wolstencroft, who is on the Community Centre's board of trustees, said: "We're unique in that we're the only charity shop that I know of that's also a community hub.

Edward Pascoe of All Saints Community Centre cuts the ribbon

"We were lucky to get a second lot of Lottery funding which is very rare in itself, but when that comes to an end we need to be self-funding.

"So, the idea behind the charity shop it raises funds to help cover our running costs.

"But we do much more than that, the community hub is our passion, it's what's important to us."

The Vibes 'Help Your Community' Shop had been open only three weeks before the onset of the global pandemic forced them to close in order to keep their team of volunteers, many of whom are vulnerable, safe.

Zoe explained: "We opened for the first time 18 months ago, but we were only open for three weeks before Covid hit.

"We decided that the risk to our volunteers was too great to remain open, so we closed and were waiting for it all to calm down."

Read Next:

• Popular cafe owner says farewell to customers with her favourite photos

Faced with many of the same issues as businesses across the county, the Vibes Community Shop was dealt an additional blow at the start of this year when the whole shop front was smashed in an apparent act of vandalism.

"It's been one disaster after another.

"In February this year we had the whole of our front smashed in through vandalism and it's just gone through the insurance, so about a month ago the glass was delivered and it was refitted.

"The whole period of Covid it was shut, and there was no heating, so it was a massive job of cleaning and restocking and making it safe and ready to go again."

Having officially reopened on Wednesday (Nov 3), Zoe told The Packet how the shop is now looking at opening a new community larder, having seen the successful implementation of the larder which runs from the community centre.

Vibes volunteers Jade and Callum with Bernard Rowe who came in and donated clothing.

"The idea behind the community larder is that it helps stop wastage.

"We'd also like to give people fresh fruit and veg and help to encourage healthy eating

"We've introduced this two months ago at the centre and we've had 300 people a week accessing it there.

"We're also trying to remove any perception of shame or embarrassment, there's no voucher system, there's no asking for it, people can just come in.

"And while they're coming in, our centre manager can also hook them up with other services, whether that be our Unite group on a Friday which is benefit advice.

"While people come in for food they leave with a lot more."

For more information on the Vibes 'Help Your Community' shop, visit its Facebook page at: facebook.com/camborne.co.uk/