Community shop can now facilitate annual summer trip thanks to Rotary donation

A community shop which betters the lives of struggling families in Lynn is now able to provide them with a fun summer day out thanks to donations.The three Rotary clubs in Lynn have teamed up to take in donations to help the Fairstead Community Shop, which found itself struggling to keep open due to the rising costs in bills.The Priory Rotary Club, Trinity Rotary Club and the King’s Lynn Rotary Club have donated a total of £1,050, which will help facilitate a coach trip out to Fantasy Island in Skegness for a number of families.

A cheque was handed over to Emma on Wednesday evening at King’s Lynn Golf Club.Last month, Emma Brock who runs the community shop, wasn’t sure if the day trip – which helps families get away who could not otherwise afford a holiday – could go ahead,Phil Davies from the Priory Rotary Club said that Rotarians put their heads together to help the shop after reading about its struggles in the Lynn News.

“The Priory Rotary Club have prior involvement with helping the community shop, we wanted to help fund the outings,” Phil said. Emma added: “It will be quite a busy day, so far we have two coach loads booked up.“This May half term we have provided more than 300 lunches to children. I have been asked if we are doing the same in the six weeks holidays and it depends on how much funding we get.”As well as the donation, seeing each club hand over £350, Rotarians have also made an application to charity Kids Out, which would mean the shop would receive an extra £10 per child going on the trip out on Wednesday, August 21. Previously speaking to the Lynn News, Emma said that less people have been coming into the shop – which sells clothing, shoes and other items, due to the cost of living crisis.A GoFundMe was launched and since then, a total of £2,500 has been raised, excluding the £1,050 raised by the Rotary clubs. The shop offers a number of services to families in the Fairstead area who are struggling to afford items such as clothing, food and school uniforms.Emma also provides baby boxes for new mums and new home boxes full of essentials for those moving into the area.Many people come into the shop and share their concerns by sitting in the worry chair.The shop also provides free lunches for children during the school holidays – providing 300 meals during May half term – and has a food bank operating all year round.