19 September 2016
Spring into your local Op Shop
State Member for Sandringham, Murray Thompson MP is encouraging members of the community to support their local Op Shop this spring.
“Op Shops provide an important community service raising funds for local charities and communities and by helping to promote reusing and recycling valuable goods,” Mr Thompson said.
“There are many great Op Shops in our local area supporting community groups and charities like Family Life, All Souls Sandringham, Vinnies and the Salvos.”
Among the beneficiaries of the All Souls Opportunity Shop in 2016 were Fairway, BayCISS, BayCISS – Case Worker, Bayside Youth Services, Castlefield Community Centre, Royal District Nursing Service- Moorabbin, Black Rock Life Saving Club, Sandringham Life Saving Club, Moira Inc., Sandringham & District Hospital, Chelsea Men’s Shed, Dingley Men’s Shed, Anglican Board of Missions, Anglican Health Chaplaincy, Anglican Outback fund Anglicare Vic. Criminal Justice Ministry, Anglicare Dixon House, Anglican Overseas Aid (formerly Anglicord), Bush Church Aid Society, Church Missionary Society, Lighthouse Foundation, Mackillop Family Services Foster/Youth, Melbourne Anglican Foundation, Mission to Seafarers, “Nungalinga” Aboriginal Training, Ridley Melbourne, Spark Lit, St Mark’s Community Centre Fitzroy, The Leprosy Mission, Trinity College, Wesley Mission Melbourne Ltd, Austcare, Cambodian Children’s Trust Australia, Doctors without Borders MSF, East Africa Fund – TS (School of St Jude), Save the Children (Vic), The Asylum Seeker Centre, World Share – Wakisa Ministry, Christian Blind Mission International, Guide Dog Association, Royal Talking Book Library, The Fred Hollows Foundation, Vision Australia, Able Australia Services (ex. Deaf/Blind), Better Hearing Australia, Lions Hearing Dogs, Alzheimer’s Australia Inc. (Research), Arthritis Foundation of Victoria, Asthma Foundation, Australian Kidney Foundation, Aus. Leukodystophy Support Group Inc., Bethlehem Health Care Melbourne Inc., Breast Cancer Network Australia, Burnett Institute, Caulfield Cardiac Support Group, Cystic Fibrosis, Fight Cancer Foundation (formerly Bone Marrow Donor) Hamlin Fistula Relief & Aid Fund (Ethiopia), Huntington’s Disease Association, Juvenile Diabetes Research, Meniere’s Support Group, Motor Neurone Assn of Vic, Multiple Sclerosis Assoc. of Vic, National Heart Foundation of Australia, National Stroke Foundation, Ovarian Cancer Research, Parkinson’s Victoria Inc., Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital – Beyond Sight, Royal Flying Doctor Service, Scleroderma foundation of Victoria Inc., Sir Edward Dunlop Medical Research, Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad, St John Ambulance, St Vincent’s Institute, Bayley House, Bayside Special Developmental School, SCOPE Chelsea/Moorabbin, SCOPE (Dame May Herring Centre), ParaQuad (Vic), RDA Victoria (formerly Riding for the Disabled Assoc. Vic.), State Wide Autistic Services, VEWSA (formerly Wheelchair Sports Vic.), Beyond Blue, Camp Quality, CFA, Compassionate Friends, Cottage-by-the-Sea (Queenscliff), Emergency Resources – Kingston City Council, Kids Under Cover, Launch Housing (formerly Hanover Welfare), Legacy, Lifeline, Lighthouse Foundation, McAuley Community Services – Women, Monash Kids (Dolls) MMC, Melbourne City Mission Palliative Care, Mirabel St Kilda, Ozanam House (Destitute Men), Portsea Children’s Camp, Regina Coeli (Homeless Women) SANE, Second Bite, Southern Mental Health (Lantern), St Kilda Gatehouse, St Kilda Mums, St Kilda Youth Services Inc., State Schools Relief Committee, 3 RPH, Very Special Kids, Assistance Dogs Australia, Donkey Shelter, Save-a-dog Scheme, Beyond Subsistence, Oxfam, Anglican Overseas Aid (Fiji), Drought Angels, Sandringham Hospital – Day Procedure Centre. There were also one off donations to Ebola Emergency, Vanuatu Cyclone Appeal, and Nepal Earthquake Appeal.
This is a marvellous effort !
Local Opportunity Shops include:-
All Souls’ Opportunity Shop – 46 Bay Road, Sandringham
Vision Australia Op Shop – Shop 1-5. 13 Melrose Street, Sandringham
Family Life Highett –12-14 Railway Parade, Highett
Oz Child Highett – 356 Highett Road, Highett
Cheltenham Salvos – 12-16 Nepean Highway, Cheltenham
Family Life Cheltenham – 316 Charman Road, Cheltenham
AAPS Cheltenham – 22 Station Road, Cheltenham
Cheltenham Opportunity Shop – 35 Station Road, Cheltenham
Vinnies Mentone – 34 Nepean Highway, Mentone
Southern Opportunity Shop Mentone – 51 Florence Street, Mentone
Salvos Mentone – 46-48 Florence Street, Mentone
Murray Thompson said “Research shows September is the most popular time of year for households to clear out wardrobes. Now is a great time to pack your unwanted clothing items and donate them so they can continue to be used and enjoyed. At the same time, the money raised from the items will be helping a good cause in the community”.
Most Op Shops are run by dedicated volunteers, and for this reason it is important that we recognise the valuable work they do raising money for important community causes.
National Op Shop Week is a great time to remind us of the work volunteers undertake, and how we can also make a contribution.
Media Contact: Murray Thompson 0409 335 760 or (03) 9598 2688