ByJohn Fisher, John Fisher
Known locally as "the Harrods of charity shops", Leeds Jewish Welfare Board's store has raised over £100,000 in its first year of trading, surpassing its target figure by £30,000.
Located in Moortown, in the heart of the Jewish community, the success of "thewellfairshop" has not totally surprised its organisers. Manager Andrina Calvert said: "I always had faith that the shop would do well here and I cannot praise my volunteers enough."
Shop management committee member Andy White added: "Retailing is tough at the moment and these results show what can be done with hard work and effort." Appealing for more stock from the Jewish community, Mr White said the target was to double its earnings in the second year.
The shop sells bric-a-brac and good quality clothes and accessories. Welfare board chief executive Rebecca Weinberg said that the revenue "is critically needed to support our services for vulnerable or isolated members of the community. At a time when statutory funding is reducing, we are under pressure to generate income through fundraising and social enterprise.
"The shop has achieved so much on many levels. It has engaged members of the community as volunteers and raised the profile of our work."