Norwich Christmas card shop opens in church 

The well-known Original Norwich Charity Christmas Card shop will be running in St Peter Mancroft church for its 58th year of operation until mid December.

This year, 28 charities will be selling their cards in the shop which opens Monday to Saturday, from 10.45am to 3pm until December 14.

Organiser Liz Magem said: “All our charities are related to people. It has always been our aim to give every penny taken back to these charities which we are able to do by keeping our overheads as low as possible. All our team members are volunteers meaning we employ no salaried staff; team members donate gifts to make Christmas hampers which are raffled to raise enough money to pay the running costs.

“Over the years the operation of the group has depended on committed charity representatives, volunteers and a small committee. The fun and friendship generated lasts throughout the years and we are so proud that our efforts have to date raised a figure fast approaching two million pounds.”

The Lord Mayor of Norwich, James Wright, officially opened the shop on Wednesday October 18. He said: “You have just got to look at the boards to see the range of charities represented and realise just how important this is for fundraising at the moment for all of those charities. It’s great to have somewhere you can call home and come back to year in, year out.”
 
Hundreds of different cards are again on sale, with every penny raised distributed between the 28 charities, ranging from East Anglian Children’s Hospices, East Anglian Air Ambulance, Norwich Cathedral, John Aves Education Project, St Martin’s, the Matthew Project and Norwich Foodbank. Last year the shop raised just over £47,000.

oncccs.org.uk

Pictured above is Norwich Lord Mayor James Wright opening the Original Norwich Charity Christmas Card shop in St Peter Mancroft church. Picture courtesy of ONCCS.