Our Story

In 1991 St James Parish Church, in Carlisle established an OpShop in order to pay interest and capital on a loan taken out to develop its Parish Centre. The OpShop received strong support from the congregation, the parish and beyond. This produced a willing and skilled group of volunteers and strong community support (donors and customers). Over time, the links with the wider community developed further and the number of volunteers, donors and customers increased.

It became apparent that rather than just running a profitable shop through which local projects could be funded, St James Church was starting to engage with many people in the local community with financial, emotional and spiritual needs. The interaction between volunteers and customers started to build relationships through which support and encouragement were provided and breaking down the barriers of loneliness and isolation.