St Andrew’s Hospice has opened a brand new superstore in Grimsby.
The store, located on Cleethorpe Road, is the latest addition to the charity’s growing retail network across North East Lincolnshire. It stocks a wide range of furniture, including both pre-loved and brand new items.
St Andrew’s Hospice cares for and supports people affected by life-limiting conditions, as well as those nearing the end of their lives. It costs £6.5 million a year to run the hospice, with just 18% of that funding coming from the government. As a result, the charity must raise £5.3 million annually to continue its vital work, with a significant proportion generated through its retail outlets.
Julie Smith, Head of Retail and Trading, told Gi Grimsby News that the new superstore has been modelled on other successful stores already operating in the town.
She said, “We’ve been open for just over a week now. Fundraising can come from events such as cake sales, bakes, and legacies, but the shops and retail now account for a significant share of the hospice’s running costs. We’ve discovered the furniture stores at Lower Spring Street and Wilton Road are our top fundraising shops. We’ve tried to copy that model and bring another one to Grimsby. There’s a high demand for finding bargain furniture.”
“The reason that the hospice is such a wonderful place is because it’s so well supported by our amazing donors, who are mostly local people,” Julie continued. “We take local donations and sell them back to local people. The profits we make fund the hospice, providing free local palliative end-of-life care services. But we also do things like dementia groups and well-being groups.”
Primarily, St Andrew’s shops exist to raise vital funds. However, the team explained that they also have an important community impact, with many describing the roles within the charity as life-changing.
Julie continued, “This is a vocation. We also want to encourage people to join us. People who were a bit lonely are sitting at home this afternoon. Perhaps they could come and volunteer with us and be part of our family, come and have a cup of tea and help us. Volunteers have come in and have said to me, you’ve actually saved my life. Because if I didn’t have this lifeline of somewhere to go and have a cup of tea and speak to people, I don’t think I’d still be here.”
The store will be closed from Christmas Eve through to Boxing Day, as well as on New Year’s Day. At all other times, it is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm, and Sundays from 10am to 4pm.
Roy Horobin
Joined the Gi Grimsby News team in 2025.