After being shut for the best part of 16 months, the St John's Hospice charity shop in St John's Wood High Street finally reopened last week - and took £2,000 in just two days.

The charity shop has been, except for a fortnight in December before the second national lockdown, shut since the pandemic began in March 2020.

Its closure has left a hole in the hospice's finances - so being able to reopen the shop is a boon for the charity.

The hospice offers palliative care to 4,000 Londoners a year.

The shop's manager Veronica McGeehan said: “It is absolutely amazing to be open properly at last.

“It is wonderful to see our volunteers back again and to welcome local residents who have been so supportive by returning to bring donations and make purchases. It has been a really positive experience.

Ham & High: St John's Wood Hospice has suffered a 50% gap in its finances with its charity shop closed during the pandemicSt John's Wood Hospice has suffered a 50% gap in its finances with its charity shop closed during the pandemic (Image: St John's Hospice)

“Interestingly, the quality of the donations has gone up even more since we were last open and that is good for customers and will be good for hospice funds.”

The shop is open from 10am until 4pm every day with a daily cleaning schedule now in place to ensure the shop is Covid-secure.

People are able to leave donations of up to two bags-worth of clothes, shoes, accessories or homeware on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The shop was reopened last week by the hospice's chief exec Caroline Fox and Frances Hassan Bashir who has been a volunteer with the hospice for the last 25 years.

Ham & High: The St John's Hospice shop took a much-needed £2,000 in its first two days after reopeningThe St John's Hospice shop took a much-needed £2,000 in its first two days after reopening (Image: St John's Hospice)

Earlier this year, this newspaper heard how St John's Hospice had been dealing with a 20% uptick in inpatient admissions, while it was hiring more carers and widening the financial support on offer to those who are terminally ill and their families.

In February, the hospice told this newspaper how, of the patients and families being referred to the hospice’s social work and bereavement teams, around 95% were in need of some form of financial support.

To donate to the hospice, people can visit its website www.stjohnshospice.org.uk or call 020 7806 4040 and ask for the fundraising team.