THE P RTAL
November 2013
Page 4
Caritas in Torbay
Jackie Ottaway and
Ronald Crane visit TOGS
The Ordinariate Charity Shop in Torbay took some
finding. We discovered that Old Mill Road is a very
long road indeed! However, eventually we did find
it, and some parking nearby too!
Jean Chinery (right of photo) was there to greet
us. She introduced us to shop volunteers Louise
Leftwich and Fiona Pluckrose.
TOGS for short
The shop is not large and it was obvious that storage not the most important thing - it is the Outreach that
space was at a premium. The Torquay Ordinariate is most important.”
Group, or TOGS for short, has experience in setting
all about out-reach
up a Charity Shop. They did
Jean went on to tell us the
so as Anglicans, so when they
rationale for the shop. “It really
became Ordinariate members it
is about outreach; that is our
was natural for them to set up
fundamental principle. We
another one.
looked at premises over the road,
but they were too expensive.
Louise told us that her youngest
Then we saw this one. The rent
son had to do some voluntary
is just right, and there is parking
work for a project and she came
outside. This is important as a car load of
with him for his Saturday work. “The first
stock may suddenly appear.”
day I said, ‘what do you want me to do?’”
Fiona saw a leaflet at Holy Angels Church
where the Ordinariate have their Mass
and, “I came along and was welcomed” she
told us.
Jean explained that Fr Mike Cain and
Fr David Lashbrooke, two Ordinariate
priests, set the shop up. “Fr Mike was
manager,” she said, “We had no cash at all.
Would it lose money? The location
was vital. It had to be low rent and
in a place local to the Ordinariate at
Holy Angels in Chelston, on a school
run and with parking.”
much cheaper
Louise pointed out that meant it would
need sorting. “We have a recycling firm
who collect bags of rags for cash,” said
Jean. “We remove the buttons and zips and
sell them. We have to pay for the rubbish
to be taken.”
We asked about rent and rates. Jean
continued, “The business rate is at an 80%
discount. Then there is water and
electricity. Insurance is organised
centrally. We opened when they
switched the Christmas lights on. We
gave away mulled wine and mince
pies. That was a good thing.
no money or expertise
Fiona chipped in, “We have welloff and poor here. The well-off bring
“You have to deal with the landlord
goods, and the poor buy.” Jean added, “We are much and sort out who is responsible for what. We did not
cheaper than the more business-like Charity Shops.” even have a budget. We had no money at all! Fiona
Louise went on, “We can give stuff away if necessary.” said, “It was a miracle that it worked. Donations have
come in too.”
We wanted to know how they got started. Jean told
us. “We asked at Church for stock. The Christian
Jean told us that they did not take electrical goods,
presence in the shop is important. Making money is furniture or food. As to pricing, “We do it between us,”