The Combined Charities Christmas Shop founded by Wilmslow resident Sheila Hallas will be celebrating its 40th year when it opens at Wilmslow Library later this month.
Sheila Hallas started this enterprise back in 1971, in a tiny shop on Clifton Street, Alderley Edge with no money for equipment or publicity and now it is vibrant and thriving - having grown and developed each year.
For the first 10 years Sheila found empty shops in which to house the Combined Charities Christmas Shop in return for no money, which she describes as having been quite difficult.
Sheila said "Amongst the places we occupied were a horrible hairdressers on Grove Street where the drains were full of hair, an old bank and Tomlinsons, the grocers on Water Lane where we had to cover a bacon slicer with a cloth.
"I always knew it wasn't the thing to do to be occupying empty shops because nobody knew where we were from one year to the next, we had to be where the public were so the library was ideal."
Forty years on and the enterprise has generated sales of nearly £4m whilst sticking to its original ethos that every penny raised goes to the participating charities. The charities take part free of charge and receive 100% of the value of their sales whilst the organisers cover the inevitable expenses, such as rent, publicity, insurance, equipment and phone, by selling gifts alongside the charities' cards.
Today they have 55 charities represented in their six shops in Wilmslow, Altrincham, Macclesfield, Hale, Sale and Knutsford.
The tremendous success of the shops is down to the hard work and dedication of Sheila Hallas, who was deservedly awarded an MBE, and a strong team of volunteers.
Sheila told me "Over the 40 years this venture has attracted some extraordinarily talented people who give their time and talents to the successful running of this organisation. No-one is paid a penny."
The Combined Charities Christmas Shop also has a website which was launched in 1999 and has proved popular with people who are time poor, yet want to support a favourite charity.
The Combined Charities Christmas Shop will be open at Wilmslow Library from Saturday October 29th until Saturday 10th December selling cards, gifts, paper, toys and stocking fillers.
Among the charities taking part this year are: Age UK Cheshire East, Barnado's, NSPCC, David Lewis, Diabetes UK, Asthma UK, St Anne's Hospice, North West Air Ambulance, Samaritans, National Animal Welfare Trust, Francis House Children's Hospice and Marie Curie Cancer Care.
For further information or to purchase charity christmas cards online visit www.christmas-cards.org.uk.
