Friends Voices

Stories of volunteers supporting the health service since 1949

Shared Space

Southend, Westcliff

Shared Space is an expanding Christian network of charity shops spanning Southend and its surroundings, dedicated to helping transform lives through training, volunteering, and fundraising. The shop and organisation is composed of an inclusive and diverse community of volunteers, and has a core mission of building a strong community through this volunteering, all of this is shaped by a loving and radically open Christian ethos.

The first shop opened in September of 2010 in Westcliff, including a lounge for coffee, chatting and community-building, a project room for organisations to hold activities, and a charity shop to fundraise. The second location opened in October of 2016 in Southchurch, initally partnering with Belle Vue Baptist Church. Shared Space also continues to closely partner with Church from Scratch

With the generated revenue, Shared Space has been able to provide hundreds of grants, funding homeless winter night shelters, football clubs, meal giveaways, and more for the Southend community.

Address: 34 Cranley Road, WESTCLIFF-ON-SEA, Essex SS0 8AL
Email: info@charityshop.co
Telephone: 01702668322
Website: www.charityshop.co
Founded: 27 May 2015
Members: 3 Trustees, 100 Volunteers
Chair: Peter Dominey

2008

The Church From Scratch organisation proposes Shared Space as a way to give back to the Southend community and spread their message.

2010

People painting and decorating the inside of a building

Once the majority of funding is accumulated through Attend and the Department of Health and a location has been found, volunteers start preparing the shop at 453 London Road, Westcliff through painting and construction.

2010

Image shows shop frontage of Shared Space

On the 2nd of September, the first Shared Space charity shop opens in Westcliff.

2012

Photo shows image of homeless drop in centre

Shared Space gives a £12,000 grant to fund the development of 57 West, a Southend charity that supports the homeless in town.

2014

The Boost Fund is launched so Shared Space can give out larger grants, and more frequently. A grant will be given away every month to deserving members of the community, chosen by the volunteers themselves.

2015

Shared Space is launched independently as its own charity, separate from the Church From Scratch Charity.

2019

On the 9th of October, a new Shared Space charity shop opens in Southchurch and the nearby Belle Vue Baptist Church are invited to partner with it. Shared Space now has 85 volunteers.

2020

Shared Space sets up the Southend Emergency Fund to give away grants during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the first year, they raise over £200,000 and give grants to 64 charities. By 2024, Southend Emergency Fund has raised £769,000