Whanganui Cancer Society shop pops up on Victoria Ave

The Whanganui Cancer Society has opened its annual Daffodil Day pop-up shop with volunteers selling a range of goods donated by the public with the goal of raising $20,000.

The store, in the old Postie Plus building at 79 Victoria Ave, will run for the next five weeks with all items half price in the final seven days of the sale.

"We just want to raise as much money as possible, and we're well on track to reach our target," fundraising co-ordinator Alison Hollard said.

Hollard said that everything for sale in the shop had been donated by the Whanganui community, and there was "a treasure for everyone".

"Don't just come once and think you've seen it all, because every single day, something in that shop changes, and you could be walking round in a completely different store because of all the donations we're receiving.

"Our favourite kind of customer is one who comes in with bags of goods to donate, stays and shops, and then leaves with new bag of stuff."

There were currently 95 patients on the Cancer Society's books, Hollard said, who all needed support care and transport to hospitals in Whanganui, Palmerston North and Wellington.

"If you can, dig deep and buy a bunch of daffodils when you see our volunteers out on the Streets on the 28th of August.

"Every little bit really helps us."

Volunteer Isobel West said she had been helping out at the Cancer Society for the past four years and there was a "wonderful, hardworking team" at the pop-up shop.

"If it wasn't for the generosity of people, we wouldn't have anything," West said.

"I went up to my daughter's house in Stratford and ended up coming home with about seven bags of stuff to donate.

"I volunteer because I like to help people who are in dire need."

Fellow volunteer Andrew Saavedra said his father was a survivor of prostate cancer.

"The cancer spread from his prostate to his torso, but because of the changes he made in his life, he was able to beat it and he's two years in remission," Saavedra said.

"It's great to be able to give back and help out."

Hollard thanked Russell Duggan at Baileys Real Estate for setting up the use of the building.

"He talked to the owner, CJ Efstratiou, who was more than happy to help out for those five weeks, for no charge," she said.

"We're also looking for someone out there who has a paddock of daffodils and would let us come and pick some for Daffodil Day."

Mike Tweed
Whanganui Chronicle 1/8/20