A charity dedicated to cleaning the graves of Victoria Cross recipients and ensuring they are remembered will extend its stay at Lakeside Village Outlet Shopping.
Victoria Cross Trust (VCT) Charity launched a pop-up shop at Lakeside Village in October. After welcoming lots of customers and receiving a positive response from visitors, the Trust has signed to stay as a tenant until April 2023.
The shop, next to Baytree Interiors, sells a range of remembrance products, including clocks, mugs, flasks and its own range of poppy jewellery and toys to raise funds. Many of the gifts can also be personalised including embroidery at the shop to meet shoppers’ specific requests and often whilst they wait.
There are also displays, including VC medal groups, Women’s Land Army artefacts and a motorbike used in the Falklands War. At the Airsoft Range, customers can enjoy a safe and fun target shooting experience supervised by ex-Servicemen.
Funds from the shop enable the charity to continue its work cleaning graves of Victoria Cross recipients all over the UK and educating local communities and schools on the background story of ‘their’ local hero.
The Victoria Cross, the highest British and Commonwealth Military award a soldier can receive, is awarded for extreme acts of bravery in the presence of the enemy.
Keith Lumley, Chair of Trustees at VCT, said: “We are thrilled that the Victoria Cross Trust Charity Shop will stay at Lakeside Village until at least April 2023.
“The centre has been a fantastic host and the shop is a wonderful way to raise awareness of our work. We’ve had great feedback from visitors and our committed team of volunteers enjoy educating people about the Victoria Cross and the Trust.”
Di Mellis, centre manager at Lakeside Village, said: “We’re thrilled the Victoria Cross Trust Charity Shop will be staying at Lakeside Village. It’s proved a popular store with lots of visitors and support from the Doncaster community.
“The Trust is a small charity and receives no direct government funding. All profits from the charity shop go directly towards helping to keep the Trust running and performing its important work.”
The Victoria Cross Trust Charity Shop at Lakeside Village is open every day in line with the centre opening hours.
For more information about the Victoria Cross Trust, please visit www.victoriacrosstrust.org