COMMUNITY
Rock eld Centre Community
Charity Shop opens
WEST COAST REVIEW | 13
The Rockfi eld Community
Centre Charity Shop opens
today (Thursday March 29)
replacing the former White
Building, which was demolished
to create the new marine
centre on Oban's North
Pier.
Over the seven years the
charity shop was situated in
the White Building, it attracted
thousands of visitors from
all over the world and raised
more than £500,000 for local
charities.
The organisers hope to continue
that success in the new
shop. It will also feature an information
point so that visitors
can keep up with the events
at Rockfi eld as it expands its
monthly programme of activities,
workshops and classes.
Graham MacQueen, a director
of Oban Communities Trust
which runs the Rockfi eld Centre,
said: 'This is going to be
the greatest asset Oban will
have ever had. The community
sorely missed a community
charity shop. Since the White
Building closed, there has
not been one week where we
have not had requests to reopen
the community shop.
'The money raised here is entirely
for the Rockfi eld Centre.
It is entirely run by volunteers.
Every penny that comes into
the till will go to the community.
It is hugely important for the
Rockfi eld Centre that we start
generating income to make it
sustainable: somebody has to
pay the electricity bills.'
The Rockfi eld Community
Charity Shop will be run by
the same group of volunteers
from the White Building. Graham
McQueen commended
the volunteers for once again
giving their time free of charge
for the community.
Alison Chadwick, also a director,
added: 'People love old
things and bric-a-brac. It will
become an information hub
and a focus for a community
share offer starting in May.'
Gordon McNab, chairman
of Oban Communities Trust
which is spearheading the
fundraising for the centre, said:
'Opening the shop comes at a
dynamic time for the Rockfi eld
Centre.
'We are about to launch the
sale of community shares in
May which will form the fi nal
push for the funding package
to 'get the lights on' and the
centre operating fully.'
The Rockfi eld Community
Charity shop will be supported
by MacQueen Bros Ltd and
MacQueen Bros Charitable
Trust.
Anyone wishing to donate
items to the Rockfi eld Community
Charity Shop can contact
MacQueen Bros Ltd on
01631 564848 for free uplift
and transport of the items.
To fi nd out more about the
Oban Communities Trust visit
http://www.obancommunitiestrust.
org.uk and to fi nd out
more about the activities on
offer at Rockfi eld, visit www.
therockfi eldcentre.org.uk