Six years after its original store shut down, Western Health has finally opened the doors to its new Sunshine Hospital op shop – this time at a new location in St Albans.
The previous op shop, which was based at Sunshine Hospital, closed in 2019 ahead of the redevelopment of the hospital’s emergency department, with the pandemic further delaying plans of re-opening.
Western Health community engagement and volunteers manager Kerry Shanahan said the re-opening at the new site was an exciting milestone.
“The new Sunshine Hospital op shop is open for business,” Ms Shanahan said.
“For now, we’re open three days a week, but once we get more volunteers we’re aiming to extend our operating days.”
Ms Shanahan said the store would try to alleviate economic pressures on locals.
“Ultimately the op shop is about fundraising for the Western Health Foundation, but it’s also about sustainability and helping our community,” she said.
“With the current cost of living, we want people to be able to come in and pick up a new outfit and buy some cheap, good-quality items.”
To help run those operations, the team is now appealing for both volunteers and donations.
People interested in volunteering at Western Health can email volunteer@wh.org.au for details.
The new op-shop is at 1/12 East Esplanade, in St Albans and is open on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, from 9am to 3pm.
