The chairman of Fermanagh District Council, Alex Baird paid a warm tribute to the volunteers who serve behind the counter in the newly refurbished British Heart Foundation (BHF) fund-raising shop in Townhall Street, Enniskillen when he spoke at its official re-opening last week.
The shop temporarily closed a month previously to allow the upgrading work to go ahead, unhindered.
Now, customers will be pleased to know that its interior is much brighter, thanks to new lighting, complemented by stylish laminated flooring. The exterior of the shop has also undergone a facelift and now features smart, new signage.
Among those impressed by the changes is Michelle McIlwrath, the Area Manager for Northern Ireland for BHF's 10 shops, and she expressed the hope that the Fermanagh community would continue to support it as they had done to date, 'magnificently'.
Michelle went on: "We are appealing for good quality clothing, accessories, handbags, shoes, books, records, DVDs, CDs and bric-brac".
Donors can either pop into the shop or call to arrange a free collection.
Getting back to the shop volunteers: the shop offers a wide range of opportunities to suit every type of person. For instance, there is stock sorting and pricing, window dressing, sales assistance of course. But, whatever the job, 'volunteering in a Heart Foundation shop is something practical that people can do to help the fight against heart disease', is how the BHF's Press release puts it.
That aspect was heavily underscored by Alex Baird in his speech at the re-opening. He noted that heart disease was a major problem in Fermanagh and he suggested it as very fitting that the BHF had a presence here through its shop.
He recalled that the British Heart Foundation was formed in 1961 and how, since then, 'tremendous progress; had been made in the fight against heart disease: "Thousands of lives have been saved, new drugs and surgical techniques have been developed and the quality of life for heart patients", he went on, "has been greatly improved. However, much needs to be done.
"Heart and circulatory disease is still the biggest killer, so we need to learn more about the causes, the diagnosis, the treatment and the prevention of heart disease. Research is expensive, and the British Heart Foundation relies almost entirely on voluntary donations for its income".
