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Theme: Shops

“The dress was a dream to wear, I felt like a million dollars!” St Ann’s Hospice’s Bridal Shop flaunts incredible dress selection

March 28, 2023 | 12:21pm

Credit: @vivienneeegeweddings on Instagram.

Our Bridal and Vintage Store in Stockport boasts many wedding dresses donated to us by wedding boutiques and local people who want their wedding dress make someone else’s special day.

Alexandra Hodges got married on 18th February and wore a dress she’d bought from the shop last year.

Alexandra says: “I tried on lots of dresses in different boutiques across the country, but I hadn’t found the exact one I was looking for. I didn’t have a specific dress design in mind, I just wanted to see what dress was right for me.


I had a few dresses that I was considering when trying them on at the shop, but then at the last minute a beautiful Justin Alexander dress was pulled out, specifically for me to try, and I remember so vividly how I couldn’t stop looking at myself in it! It was the one!


Alexandra Hodges, Bride

We run our Stockport shop with a dedicated specialist bridal department on the second floor which has the latest styles on offer for great value for money.

All of our dresses at the shop are for sale, with hundreds of dresses available that have only been worn once or are brand new. Many are donated by bridal boutiques at the end of the season, so they are all great value for a fraction of the price you’d pay elsewhere.


My dress was in such brilliant condition; it had never been worn before and was only £300 – a tenth of the price I was looking at paying elsewhere.


Alexandra Hodges, Bride

“I didn’t originally have a budget for my dress, but with so many styles I was completely spoilt for choice at the Stockport shop and made it even better that the dress I fell in love with was a bargain!”

Jules Lamb, Acting Manager at our Bridal and Vintage store, says: “We know people love to recycle and be more environmentally conscious, so we love to support this to make sure our brides get dresses that are in excellent condition and are second hand.


The money paid for each dress is so important in supporting St Ann’s Hospice which helps many people in Greater Manchester with end-of-life care.”


Jules Lamb, Acting Manager at the Bridal & Vintage store

There are appointments for fittings all day from Tuesday to Saturday, with the shop also catering for mother of the bride and bridesmaids, accessories to match and a recommended seamstress just down the road.

Alexandra says: “I’m honestly so grateful and feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to wear such an amazing dress from this lovely shop. My experience was nothing short of brilliant!”

Credit: @vivienneeegeweddings on Instagram.

To see more updates about the dresses and accessories in store, please visit our Facebook page SAH Bridal Stockport.

Bargain lovers in the area will be in for a treat this month thanks to a special sale!

May 25, 2022 | 11:04pm


We get so many amazing items donated to the hospice, and many are sold in our shops around Greater Manchester or in our online stores. But, we know how much people love a bargain, so have also decided to run this special sale at our big Distribution Centre in Reddish. It will be perfect for people who love to have a browse, and with hundreds of items available, they’re sure to come away with some great deals.


Ryan Perkins, Co Head of Trading at St Ann’s

Trading Company Ryan Perkins Reception

The sale, which will be open from 9am to 1pm, will take place at St Ann’s Hospice Distribution Centre, Bankfield Industrial Estate, Unit A1, Coronation Street, Reddish, SK5 7SE. 


As with all of our shops, money raised will help the hospice to continue providing its specialist care to people from across Greater Manchester and parts of Cheshire – so as well as grabbing a bargain, shoppers can also be reassured to know that their purchases are making a real difference too.


Ryan Perkins, Co Head of Trading at St Ann’s

Do you love a bargain??

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Why I love my job – Jenny

April 29, 2022 | 8:45am

“My role includes buying new goods to sell in our high street shops and putting together seasonal catalogues to promote stock.

“I’m based in our Distribution Centre in Reddish, where I manage the warehouse day-to-day and manage and promote our drive-thru donation days and Distribution Centre sales. I also take donations and sort them for the shops and sale days.

“I’ve worked in charity retail for 20 years, including buying for national charities, and I’ve been at St Ann’s for four years.


One of the things I love most about my job is knowing that every penny I help raise goes to support the hospice.


“My favourite part of the job is putting together the Christmas card catalogue and choosing the range of cards.

“I love meeting people at the drive-thru donation days and Distribution Centre sales. People are very generous and want to support St Ann’s.”

We’re looking for volunteers for our shops

Do you have time to spare to help out in our shops? Click the button below to sign up.

Click here




Global Recycling Day blog by Ryan Perkins

March 17, 2022 | 9:20pm

The 18th March marks Global Recycling Day – an annual day to help recognise, and celebrate, the importance recycling plays in securing the future of our planet.

I don’t think the environmental benefits of charity retail are a surprise to anyone anymore but the numbers are still shocking. At least £31 million each year is saved by charity shops for councils in waste disposal charges by diverting 339,000 tonnes of textiles away from landfill or incineration. This reduction in landfill not only saves money but it also makes a positive difference to the UK’s carbon footprint. 

The charity retail sector is not only built on sustainable principles but it provides clothing to people at a price they can afford. We offer people the opportunity to live more sustainably with the clothes, shoes, books and furniture that we sell and the message of re-use and recycle is at the core or what we do. 

Did you know charity shops re-use or recycle more than 90% of all items donated? If our shops cannot re-use or sell an item, they will seek to recycle it via a textile recycler.

Here are our top 3 tips for maximising your recycling and how our shops can help you:

  • Re-use – we have charity shops all over Greater Manchester where you can find some fantastic second hand bargains from clothes to books, to toys and games, and we even have a wedding dress shop located in Stockport where you can find your dream dress.

Christina Green shop manager

  • Repair or up-cycle – we have specialist furniture shops where you can find a treasure trove of items, including second hand beds, chairs, tables, lamps, sofas and sideboards which could make great projects to up-cycle. Plus, if you no longer need an item of furniture then donate it to our charity shops and book a free collection.

  • Reduce – one way you can reduce your plastic waste is by using our plastic-free ECOLEAF refills for a range of household products at our Heald Green charity shop. Simply bring your containers, fill them up with your chosen products and pay at the till.

By shopping with St Ann’s, you’re not only helping the planet and bagging a bargain, but your purchase helps fund the care and support we offer our patients and their families.

Has this inspired you to recycle more?

For more information about our shops and our items that we sell or how you can donate click the button below.

Click here




Bag a bargain at the February Distribution Centre Sale

February 24, 2022 | 1:17pm

St Ann’s are inviting deal-lovers to visit our Distribution Centre in Reddish on Saturday 26th February to get their hands on some of the hundreds of new and pre-loved items up for sale. 

The sale, which will be open from 9am to 2pm, will take place at St Ann’s Hospice Distribution Centre, Bankfield Industrial Estate, Unit A1, Coronation Street, Reddish, SK5 7SE.


We’ve run a few of these sales and people are always so pleased with the bargains they can get on the day.  We have so many great items, so it’s perfect for those who love to browse and come away with some good deals. We’ve had some amazing stock donated recently thanks to local people, as many have had a bit of a lockdown de-clutter.  We sell some of the items we receive in our shops around Greater Manchester or our online stores, but gather other bargain items together to sell in our special Distribution Centre sales.


Ryan Perkins, Hospice’s Trading Company

Ryan added: “The money raised from the sale will help the hospice to continue caring for local people, so while you’re picking up a bargain you can also be reassured to know that your purchases are also having a real impact on people’s lives too.

“As a charity we need to raise £20,000 a day to keep our services running so all purchases, donations, or other support that people give to St Ann’s really does make a massive difference.”

For more information, please contact the St Ann’s trading company team by emailing tradingadmin@sah.org.uk  

Shop with St Ann’s

By shopping with St Ann’s, you not only bag yourself a bargain, but your purchase helps fund the care and support we offer our patients and their families. Pop in to your local hospice shop, shop online or donate your good quality items with our free furniture collection.

Shop with St Ann’s




Donate your preloved wedding dress

February 17, 2022 | 12:19pm

Our charity shop in Stockport has a dedicated specialist bridal area on its second floor, for brides to arrange appointments to view, try on and purchase dresses for their big day. 


We’re appealing for any new or pre-loved wedding dresses that people can donate to our bridal shop. If you have a dress at home, please do consider donating it as the money we raise from sales will help us to continue to care for local patients with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses.


Rachel McMillan, Chief Executive of St Ann’s

Rachel added: “Our bridal shop is popular with customers who are keen to bag a beautiful wedding outfit at a fraction of the usual price. We know many people have had to change their plans for their wedding day, and our team is here to help them to pick out the perfect outfit, however they are marking the occasion. It’s a real privilege to be involved in such a special day for so many brides, and we get people travelling to our shop from all over the north west and beyond.”


Brides might have had to delay or adapt their big day due to lockdown rules, but it doesn’t mean they should compromise on their dress. We have an appointment system in place so brides can come along and browse the range of amazing new and preloved dresses we have in our Stockport shop at their leisure in a safe way. It’s a beautiful bridal room and many of the dresses we have in stock are brand new or designer too.


Rachel McMillan, Chief Executive of St Ann’s

As well as hundreds of dresses, the shop also has a range of other bridal accessories, such as hair accessories, bridesmaid outfits and shoes.  

The store in Stockport also offers a range of vintage items for sale, as well as a specialist book shop.  

To find out more about donating your dress or to arrange a safe, socially distanced appointment with the bridal team to try on dresses or discuss your needs, call 0161 222 0576, email stockport@sah.org.uk or pop into the shop at 33 Great Underbank, Stockport, SK1 1NE  

Appeal for unwanted furniture at our shops

January 26, 2022 | 8:00am

We have shops across Greater Manchester, including our specialist furniture shops in Ardwick and Ladybarn where we sell a range of new and pre-loved furniture items, electrical goods and homeware.


Our furniture shops are always really popular, especially in the last two years when many people have been taking the opportunity to decorate or update their home during lockdown. We have an array of furniture and homewares on sale, and are appealing for donations of any items of furniture that people might be wanting to rehome. We can arrange to pick them up if they’re bulky too, so do get in touch even if you don’t have a vehicle available to drop items at one of our shops.



We also run a popular house clearance service so if local people are moving, downsizing or have a garage or other unit that they need help clearing, we can support with that too. We’re always happy to help, and people can also be assured that the money raised from the sale of the items they donate will help St Ann’s continue caring for local patients.


Ryan Perkins, Co-Head of St Ann’s Trading Company

Ryan Perkins Trading Company Assistant

Arrange for a furniture collection

For more information and to arrange a furniture collection fill out an online form to arrange a furniture collection or visit the St Ann’s shop, 164 Stockport Road, Ardwick, M13 9AB. You can also speak to the team by calling 0161 272 6299 or emailing ardwick@sah.org.uk

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Calling for shop volunteers

January 13, 2022 | 8:55am

We’re asking local people to consider donating just a few hours of their time each week to help our shop staff raise vital funds to support local patients. 

We receive around a third of its funding from the NHS, so we rely on income from donations and our trading company to carry on our work. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to many of our fundraising events and activities being postponed or cancelled, which has meant raising funds through their shops is even more important than ever to ensure we can carry on providing our specialist care. 


The hospice’s ability to fundraise has been hugely impacted by the pandemic and our shops are doing really well as local hubs for people in the community to buy new or preloved goods in a safe environment. 

However, we’re in real need of volunteers who can help our dedicated teams in a variety of ways. We’d love to hear from anyone who might be willing to help by giving a few hours of their time each week at any of our store locations – but particularly in Sale, Altrincham, and Edgeley. 

Our online sales team and staff at our distribution centre in Reddish are also looking for support from people who could help with photography, posting and packing, and sorting goods for our shops too. 

The role of a charity shop volunteer has really changed in recent years, and we see people of all ages who really benefit from the experience.  We need help with everything from window displays and merchandising, to serving customers, organising stock, and lots more in between.  There’s something to suit everyone’s needs, so please do get in touch if you might be able to help.


Ryan Perkins, Trading Company

Volunteer at our shops!

We’re always looking for new volunteers to help out at our many shops. Anyone interested in supporting the hospice can call 0161 477 7839 from 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday, or pop into your local St Ann’s Hospice shop and ask for details or click the link below.

Click here