Blythswood Ireland Ltd. open new Charity Superstore in Antrim

The 3,000 sq. ft. retail outlet at Unit 1, 60 Greystone Road, which was officially opened on March 6 by Miranda Tisdale, the High Sheriff of County Antrim, sells furniture, clothing, bric-a- brac, small electrical items, toys, DVDs, CDs and much more.

Driven by its Christian faith, Blythswood Ireland seeks to combine Christian care for body and soul across the UK, Ireland, Europe and around the world. They care for, feed, clothe and educate orphans, train widows and give educational opportunities to disadvantaged people.

For Over 50 years Blythswood have been changing lives by giving hope and helping thousands escape the poverty trap.

Harry Latimer, CEO of Blythswood Ireland and a resident of Antrim said: “Blythswood have been operating in Ballyclare for around 15 years. The Charity is registered with the Northern Ireland Charity Commission but we also operate like a Social Enterprise employing over 30 people mainly in the Antrim and Newtownabbey Council area.

“Each year we take hundreds of tons of donated goods, much of which would otherwise go directly to landfill.

“We sort through these goods to see what is useable, re-saleable or recyclable. We then dispose of the majority of these items by re-selling in our shops, re-using in our local or overseas projects or by further recycling through other fabric, metal or paper recyclers.

“We believe that this new venture will make a positive impact on the local community. Although a large amount of the items donated to us are sold to fund social projects across Europe, a proportion the items we receive are redistributed in aid to people across Northern Ireland.

“Working with social workers, local government officials, church ministers, CAP (Christians against poverty), Women’s Aid and other professional agencies to meet the needs of displaced or rehoused people, by supplying a variety of items, such as furniture and clothing.

“Other activities we are involved in include; being a drop off point for a foodbank in Banbridge and supporting other local charities, two of whom - The Stauros Foundation and Beneath His Wings work with addicts seeking to rehabilitate them.

“The shop in Antrim will enable us to expand our work further and allow the local community an opportunity to get involved in changing lives,” Harry said.

The new Blythswood Ireland Antrim shop is now open at Unit 1, 60 Greystone Road, Antrim, BT41 2QN. For more information, telephone 028 94485366.