The town has a rich history and is home to a number of charities
The charming town of Selby in North Yorkshire, known for its historic market and the grand Selby Abbey, has become a haven for charity shops.
With six on the high street alone, locals and visitors have even created a trail to explore them all. Forward thinking businesses and those who live in the town have turned what many other places fear into the saviour of their town centre.
Having a history that dates back to Roman and Viking eras, the small town has a population of around 17,000 who enjoy its rich heritage and culture. There are plenty of scenic routes thatnks to its location on the River Ouse and surrounding Yorkshire countryside.
However, the volunteer-led outlets in the town have been grappling with unsuitable donations, leading to waste and additional costs. To tackle this issue, local charity Up for Yorkshire launched The Shop for the Future project as part of its Zero Shelby initiative, reports the Express.
This project aims to help the shops manage unsuitable donations sustainably, while also celebrating their community contributions and raising awareness about their work. It kicked off with the creation of a Trail Map, laying out the constellation of charity shops across the North Yorkshire town for an easy crawl.
The town’s High Street charity shops include Martin House, which provides free family-led hospice care for children and young people with life-limiting illnesses. There’s also an RSPCA store, which is a self-funded and separately registered charity to the national RSPCA that supports the York Animal Home and local animals in need.
There’s also The Big Store – the charity shop of The Big Communitea, which supports mental health and wellbeing in the town through drop-ins, therapy, and practical help. Visitors can also find branches of St Leonard’s Hospice, Scope and the British Heart Foundation.
As part of the Zero Shelby initiative, a Sustainable Fashion show is scheduled to take place in Selby Abbey on November 12. Matt Fisher, community development lead for Up for Yorkshire, told BBC News that they view the town’s second-hand shops as a “strong starting point for change and an exciting opportunity to create a sustainable and vibrant high street to be enjoyed by everyone.”
In addition to these, there are various gift shops, homeware stores, vintage and antique outlets available. For bookworms, The Book Circle, an independent bookshop on Finkle Street, is a must-visit.
And if you fancy a bite to eat, local favourite Mister C fish and chips shop is renowned as one of the best in the UK.
Among the other charity shops elsewhere in the town are the well-known branches of Bernardo’s, Cancer Research UK and Yorkshire Cancer Research. But there are also locally-based stores working hard for good causes.
Mama Na Mtoto works to save the lives of mothers and babies in the UK and Kenya, while Selby Hands of Hope provides help to alleviate financial hardship in Selby. Selby Community Furniture Store collects furniture for free and upcycles and refurbishes it before selling it on, and Shelby Scrap CIC provides low-cost source materials for local groups and people.