Healesville Living and Learning Centre (HLLC) president Vicky King handed over the keys to the town’s longest-running opportunity shop to the Healesville-Yarra Glen Uniting Church on Thursday 7 November.
HLLC opened the shop in the East End some 40 years ago to support their programs and as an extension of their ethos of supporting vulnerable community members.
Having made the decision to step away from the shop, HLLC sought expressions of interest from community-focused organisations in the hope the diverse benefits provided by the shop would continue.
“Having had custodianship of this much-needed and much-loved community institution for all those years, the HLLC board believed it was important that it be passed on to a local organisation that shared the ethos of caring for community that has been the heart and soul of its operation,” Ms King said.
She paid tribute to the forward-thinking committee members who set up the shop, to the volunteers who over the years have kept it running in both good and challenging times, as well as the thousands who have supported the shop through donations and custom.
“Without all of those people, but especially the volunteers, from the dedicated managers to those who worked behind the scenes and front of shop, the benefits that have flowed to both the HLLC and to the wider community, would not have been possible,” the president said.
“We thank every one of you for your loyalty, hard work and for the difference you have made in your community.”
The Uniting Church had been looking to open an opportunity shop in Healesville having been involved in the running of the very successful Combined Churches Opportunity Shop in Yarra Glen for many years.
Uniting Church chairman Bruce Argyle said it was a timely opportunity.
“We see it as a continuation of the work that we have been supporting in the community for decades, including Dinner at Darron’s, Writers and Rhythm, Rural Australians for Refugees, HICCI and the Walking Together Group with the Indigenous community,” he said.
He said the aim was three-fold; to continue to provide a low cost opportunity shop for the Healesville and district communities, to provide a revenue stream to support local initiatives and to provide a supportive, friendly and nurturing environment for volunteers.
“It is about people in the community giving to the community,” Mr Argyle said.
“It is about people working together, people respecting difference and it’s also about looking after the environment through repurposing and reusing consumables.”
Work has already started on a significant facelift for the shop which includes extending the retail space and installing heating and cooling in time for a grand opening in December.
“To be able to take this on as a going concern with strong community connection is particularly exciting,” Mr Argyle said.
“We look forward to continuing to build on the legacy of the HLLC for the benefit of the local community.”
In the meantime, the drive is on to recruit volunteers for what promises to be an exciting new chapter in the story of the East End Op Shop.
Anyone who would like to be part of that story can make contact through the website at healesville.unitingchurch.org.au or phone on 5962 4128.
