Mayor cuts the ribbon at Age UK Northamptonshire's Higham Ferrers shop grand opening

The mayor of Higham Ferrers wished Age UK Northamptonshire the best of luck as he opened their new Higham Ferrers shop.

Cllr Nigel Brown cut the ribbon at the charity shop in High Street on Friday, January 27.

The local charity’s chief executive Chris Duff said that the charity is thrilled to join other local independent retailers in Higham Ferrers High Street.

He said: “We hope that everyone in the community will enjoy visiting and supporting our shop and will consider it an asset to the town.”

Guests at the special ribbon-cutting event included the leader of Higham Ferrers Town Council Cllr Pat Whiting, Cllr Tina Reavey and Cllr Sean Prosser. Age UK Northamptonshire were particularly delighted that Joey Coleman, managing director of Colemans and the daughter of founder John, and her friend and long-time employee Karen Holmes were able to attend.

John Coleman opened his first shop in Higham Ferrers in 1969, so it was a bittersweet moment for Joey who was given a guided tour by the charity’s Kettering shop manager Nerissa Haimes.

Joey said: “It is lovely that the shop will be raising money for a local charity whose aims I very much support.”

In his thanks to the small crowd of guests, staff members, volunteers and a few browsing customers, the charity’s chair of trustees Paul Bertin said: “Every single penny that we raise in this shop is spent supporting the people of Northamptonshire. It doesn’t go anywhere else.”