Wooler Christian Aid work Sue Burston aims to raise thousands for charity

May 14 2009 by Joanne Butcher, The Journal

A SHOPKEEPER aims to raise thousands of pounds for charity. And she’s going to do it in just one week.

Every year, Sue Burston, Christian Aid group organiser for Wooler, Northumberland, sets up shop for six busy days of fundraising.

And her record takings are £7,000 in a single week.

Sue said: “It all started when my mother died. I was emptying her house, and I thought it would be a good idea to sell her things to make money for Christian Aid.

“At that time there was an empty store in Wooler High Street, so we set up shop.

“We sold all of my mother’s things – and since then it’s just got bigger. Now the annual store has become quite an event.”

Sue has been running the store for 11 years and believes it has raised over £40,000 for some of the world’s poorest communities.

Customers queue up down the street in the mornings, eager to get their hands on the wares for sale in this Aladdin’s cave.

An all-year round house-to-house collection of donated goods and bric-a-brac to sell in the shop means the whole community gets involved in the venture.

Sue opened up this year’s shop this week – Christian Aid week – and she says there are plenty of treats in store for shoppers.