Havens Hospices Reuse Shop celebrates 10,000th sale, giving thousands of items a second life

Operated through a partnership between SUEZ, Southend-on-Sea City Council and local charity Havens Hospices, the shop is helping to transform the way unwanted household goods are managed by giving quality items a second life instead of sending them for disposal.

The achievement highlights the success of the partnership in promoting reuse and raising vital funds for local children and adults relying on hospice care, while offering residents affordable, pre-loved goods.

Cllr Cheryl Nevin, Cabinet Member for Civic Pride at Southend-on-Sea City Council, said: "Achieving 10,000 sales shows how small actions can make a real difference. By donating and buying pre-loved items, residents have helped raise vital funds for Havens Hospices, supported a more sustainable city and ensured thousands of useful items stayed in use. It's a fantastic achievement and a credit to everyone who has supported the Reuse Shop."

The Reuse Shop stocks a wide variety of items that are too good to throw away, including electrical appliances, furniture, toys and games, homeware and seasonal goods. Donated by residents visiting the Household Waste Recycling Centre, every purchase helps extend the life of useful products, reduces waste and supports specialist hospice care.

Mark Davies, Head of Trading at Havens Hospices said: “Every purchase made in the shop helps keep quality items in use for longer while generating vital income for Havens Hospices, funding free, expert and compassionate care for local people of all ages. Havens Hospices must raise more than £225,000 a week to be there for everyone who needs us, and this is a brilliant example of how giving items another lease of life can benefit both the environment and our local community."

Since opening, the shop has become an important part of the site's approach to sustainable waste management, making it easy for residents to donate unwanted items in good condition and shop for quality pre-loved bargains in one convenient location.

The Reuse Shop forms part of a wider commitment to the circular economy, keeping products and materials in use for as long as possible. By diverting reusable items from the waste stream, the initiative reduces environmental impact while creating social value and generating vital income for Havens Hospices. Every purchase made in the shop helps fund free expert, compassionate care for children, young people and adults living with incurable conditions across Essex, demonstrating how reuse can deliver lasting benefits for both the environment and the local community.

James Gatter, Contract Manager at SUEZ said: "Reaching 10,000 sales is a fantastic achievement and demonstrates what can be achieved when organisations and communities work together.

"We're proud to work alongside Southend-on-Sea City Council and Havens Hospices on an initiative that delivers real environmental and social value. Residents have embraced the Reuse Shop by donating quality items and choosing to buy pre-loved, helping to support an important local charity while making more sustainable choices."

Residents visiting Stock Road Household Waste Recycling Centre are encouraged to donate items in good condition that could be reused and to browse the ever-changing range of affordable pre-loved goods available in the shop.