Local charity, the Dan Eley Foundation, will be opening a pop-up shop for four weeks between 28 June and 23 July in the heart of Godalming High Street to raise funds for disadvantaged young people in Waverley.
The foundation was formed by Dan Eley in 2012 following an accident which left him paralysed from the neck down. Since then, Dan has used his experience to help youngsters between 5 - 25 in Waverley by raising funds to provide immediate support and assist in vocational and educational opportunities which can lead to paid employment.
Charity Secretary and mother of Dan Eley, Carolyn Eley said: “As a small local charity, we operate very much on the ground in Waverley which allows us to ensure that donations are used where they are needed most. We fund access to essential training courses, educational workshops and fundamentals which can pose as a barrier to young people from lower income backgrounds such as, providing underprivileged children with laptops during the pandemic so they could continue lessons from home and most recently purchasing a bicycle for a youngster so that he could travel to his first job.
The pop-up shop will be situated at 69 Godalming High Street, formerly a M&Co shop which was recently purchased by Waverley Borough Council. The council invited the Dan Eley Foundation to use the space whilst they find commercial and residential tenants to occupy the property on a more permanent basis.
Carolyn said: “We’re grateful to Waverley Borough Council for allowing us to use this property on the high street and to Godalming Town Council for their support in helping us raise funds,”
The pop-up shop will sell a wide range of goods, including antiques, jewellery and furniture donated by antique dealers, with over 80% of proceeds going directly towards helping young people in the borough. The charity aims to raise £12,000 and will be open Mon – Sat 10am - 4pm.
She added: “At its heart, the Dan Eley Foundation is about giving young people the tools which they need to build a better future, not just for themselves, but for those around them as well, and we’re confident that if we reach our target of £12,000 within the next four weeks, we can do even more for young people in Waverley that need a helping hand.”
To pay them a visit and support a local cause visit: 69 High St, Godalming, GU7 1AW
To find out more about the Dan Eley Foundation you can visit the Dan Eley foundation - About Us Webpage.
If you’d like to donate to the Dan Eley Foundation or are interested in organising a fundraising event, visit their Just Giving Page.