STOURBRIDGE’S Mary Stevens Hospice has celebrated the opening of its 17th charity shop in the region.

The new store in Wall Heath, off Albion Parade, was officially launched on Friday December 6 at 11am.

Charity chiefs say they have many staunch supporters of the hospice in the Wall Heath area so when the chance came up to extend their retail activities to the village they “were more than pleased to”.

Money raised from the hospice charity shops help generate vital funds to enable the charity, based in Hagley Road, Oldswinford, to continue providing quality care for terminally ill patients across the borough.

Director Simon Henwood said the hospice’s trading company has gone from “strength to strength” in recent years in part thanks to the introduction of a recycling venture and popular coffee shop above its flagship Stourbridge charity shop.

But he added: “As the need for services continues to grow, we try and keep pace to help ensure the doors stay open - but without the support of our community who continue to be brilliant this just wouldn’t be the case. A really big thank you goes out to them.”