Heywood children’s charity Little Monkeys reopens its shop

Little Monkeys charity shop has reopened

Heywood children’s charity, Little Monkeys, which helps under privileged children, reopened the doors of its charity shop on Market Street on 5 October after closing due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With the support of the National Lottery and Heywood Township, and new management following the appointment of Councillor Jacqui Beswick as the new shop manager, the children's charity shop re-opened safely earlier this month.

Little Monkeys was started in 1999 by members of the clinical team at York House Surgery, opening a shop on Heywood's main shopping street. For the first year it ran well, however, with a change in the management, the shop takings declined so much that the shop needed to be closed.

The charity struggled until in 2011, Michael Taylor, a GP at York House purchased a derelict pub, the ‘Ship Inn’, and converted it for the charity’s usage. It was opened on 1 June 2013 by the-then Mayor of the Borough of Rochdale, Councillor Peter Rush.

After new managers Alice and Douglas Foulger joined, the charity grew, receiving clothing donations and taking children on holiday, with Alice and Douglas being appointed to the board of trustees.

In 2019, the Queen recognised the charity, awarding it ‘The Queen’s Award for Volunteering’, which Alice and Douglas proudly received in the Buckingham Palace Garden Party Ceremony.
 

Read more: Heywood Children's Charity - Little Monkeys receives the Queen’s Award for Voluntary ServicePublished: 05 June 2019