Following more than three months of hibernation one of Leeds’ most respected charities, The Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store is taking its first cautious steps towards reopening.
The Store which these days employs eight people and which began life here at Moortown Baptist Church in 1986 collects and then gives away, free of charge unwanted furniture to more than 1,000 needy families each year. However, besides its charity arm L&MFS also runs a wholly owned trading company, and it is this that will reopen first.
Over the last few weeks John Gamson, the Store’s Manager and key members of his team have been busy marking out the charity’s 10,000 sq.ft warehouse, posting vital signage and compiling a comprehensive return to work plan.
“The decision to reopen the trading company,” which says John sources and supplies new furniture and white goods to a growing number of third sector organisations “is hopefully the first step towards a full resumption of services. To begin with we intend to work just part time, informing our clients of our restart and responding to their to orders. Depending on how things go, and in particular on how many furniture donations we receive we are hoping to the charity soon after.”
Over the years and working in many different guises many MBC personnel have served L&MFS. This is a bond the charity values greatly mainly as it brings a treasured level of continuity to the message expressed in its mission statement: The charity exists as a practical demonstration of Christian commitment to socially and economically disadvantaged people by distributing donated furniture.
All being well the Store’s next update will be to tell you that full service has been resumed. Until then if you or anyone you know is replacing any furniture (that’s beds, sofas – with fire certificates, dining tables, chairs, wardrobes etc) do try hang on to them because as John says “we have no doubt that with the employment and financial strains the virus has created the demand for the charity’s services post Covid will be even more acute than ever.”