THE OWNERS of a charity shop that supports projects in the community say they already feel a part of the up-and-coming high street in Tyldesley.
After years spent working in the charity sector, Anna Hart and Jenny Mcavoy said that they wanted to do something different that benefitted people in the area in which they worked.
Deciding to take a leap of faith, the friends launched their first charity shop, 'Action Station', in Ince last November, and have since expanded to open a second shop on Elliott Street in Tyldesley back in March.
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The idea of Action Station is to be a real part of the community, where people donate pre-loved items and all of the money raised goes towards vital projects in the area.
After the success of the Ince charity shop, Anna and Jenny said they are already feeling a part of the community in Tyldesley, thanks to the welcoming nature of residents and local business owners.
Anna said: "We've been open for a couple of months now, and people have been so welcoming to us. Lots of customers and other shop owners have been coming in and showing an interest in what we do.
"We already feel a part of the community and it's a really nice high street to be a part of.
"It's a cyclical process really, where people donate or buy products in the knowledge that it is all going back into the community that they live in.
"I know there are a lot of things and fundraising going on in the world, so this is something that keeps everything local and spends money on local groups who need it the most."
Forging links within the community where it is situated, Action Station will support any valuable project and has supported groups such as local sports teams, domestic abuse and homelessness charities, and cancer support networks.
The charity shop is also one of the beneficiaries of the 'For Tyldesley' high street project, which is using £1.5m of Historic England funding to revamp and regenerate shop fronts along Elliott Street.
With Action Station's shop front currently in the process of being reworked, Jenny added: "We sort of accidentally benefitted with the shop front as it had already started when we moved in.
"But we are very happy to be a part of it and we plan to carry on with our own improvements once it's completed, to make the most of our space inside and outside the shop."
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