A new charity shop helping vulnerable and abandoned animals is set to open its doors in Dereham today.
Staff and volunteers will be welcoming shoppers for the first time to the RSPCA Mid Norfolk and North Suffolk branch in High Street from 10am on Saturday, September 21.
The shop will be officially opened by local author Hayley Scott.
Tammy Clarke, retail development manager for the branch, said: "We are so excited to be opening a new charity shop in Dereham and we hope that the local community will join us in the celebrations on the day, which starts at 10am.
"We will be offering home-made cakes and a warm welcome. Our education officer Leanne Neave will be animal mask-making and face painting, plus the local animal care team will be on hand to meet our lovely customers and answer questions.
"We are delighted to have local author Hayley Scott opening our shop. Hayley is known for writing Meet the Twitches, a story about four little rabbit heroes with big ideas - so a perfect fit for us.
"We hope lots of people will join in the celebrations and we will be offering a fantastic range of items at the shop and all the money raised will be used to help animals who have suffered neglect and ill-treatment in the Norfolk area."
The branch is keen to hear from anyone who might want to volunteer at the shop and take on roles such as window dressing or operating the tills. Volunteers can apply via the branch website or by popping along to the shop.
Anyone who would like to make a donation can drop off to the shop at 15 High Street, which is also the former home of long-running business Dereham DIY and Hardware.
Dereham DIY and Hardware had been open in the town for nearly four decades but was bought out by Damon Harris, who opened Harris Hardware on 30 Market Place, next to Specsavers, in the town centre.
Other new shops which have opened in Dereham recently include a convenience store, which is in the other half of the same building as the RSPCA charity shop, and the Home Shop, which now occupies the former Green Pastures bookshop.
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