Party to celebrate Rye community shop reopening

Amber Rudd with members of the Rye Community Shop management team. Photo by John Wylie

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A charity shop celebrated its reopening after moving into a new home with a small launch party on Friday (January 29).

The Rye Community Shop, formerly Rye Community Charity Shop, has moved down Cinque Ports Street and is open again for business.

The shop’s patron and Rye MP Amber Rudd cut the ribbon to official open the shop and she was delighted to support the charity.

“I was delighted to declare this new community shop open, and I am sure it will be very successful both in the affordability of its offering, and in generating profits to help the local community” she said.

Amber Rudd with Rother District Councillor Lord Ampthill. Photo by John Wylie

“It is a first class operation which promises to continue its worthwhile work for Rye from these new premises.”

The official opening was very well attended according to Ms Rudd and the new shop has a very large noticeboard for all the community and support groups to use to advertise their events on as well as maps and guides for visitors.

It is staffed entirely by volunteers and all the shop’s profits are intended for groups within Rye.

The previous shop was joint-owned with ARRCC and some people were disgruntled when the management committee decided to go independent.

But chairman Kate Sims is looking to put all of that behind her and is thrilled with the new shop.

Ms Sims said they hope to become a hub of the town where people can find out what is going on and get involved, as well as supporting the community through donations, sales and events.

She said they have received enormous amounts of support from the community and businesses to help get off their feet, including Tony Bowles Carpets who donated a carpet for the sorting room.

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