"It's been amazing" - Wings Community Support shop opens in Gosport as response leaves organiser overwhelmed

Wings Community Support shop, on Nobes Avenue, welcomed its first customers on Saturday, October 18 but held its official opening on Monday, October 20. Pompey legend Alan Knight was on hand to cut the ribbon and welcome customers to the shop that sells a range of affordable items.

Andrew Pallister started the Community Interest Company (CIC) having been in charge of a number of Revitalise shops in the region before it closed down last year.

Having been open for a few days, Andrew has been delighted with the response from the local community. He said: “It’s been amazing. It’s made me smile at the support we have received and It’s not just me. The customers that have come in have left full of joy and I love it, it’s exactly what I wanted to do.

“It has only been a couple of days as well so what we can do over a longer period is going to be really exciting.”

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The shop will sell a range of products from ladies and menswear to DVDs, books and games. With a number of prominent charity shops closing in the region recently, Andrew believes Wings can buck the trend by ingratiating itself in the community and never saying no to donations.

He said: “We want to say yes every time. Since Covid is has got worse with charities shops saying they are full or they can take books, or cant take something else. We are going to say yes every time, apart from furniture, as long as it is clean we will take it in and be grateful. We want it to be 360, you come in, donate and hopefully finds some bargains as well.”

See inside the new shop in the pictures below: