STAFF at two Limerick charity shops have been honoured for showing their love of the second time round.
Vincent’s Living Furniture Shop on Mungret Street in Limerick has won the Team of the Year Award, while Vincent’s Abbeyfeale took home the PEAKS Award (Achieving Excellence Through Services including promoting affordability, ethics, and inclusion) in the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP) Mid West Region.
The awards were presented at the Vincent’s 2024 Retail Conference held in University College Cork attended by 200 volunteers and managers from the Vincent’s nationwide network of shops.
A theme of the conference was the social, environmental, and financial value that Vincent’s shops bring to the work of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP).
According to the charity, Vincent’s shops are important to their local communities, generating surpluses that are used to support those most in need and operating in a sustainable manner.
There are over 230 SVP shops throughout Ireland, trading under the ‘Vincent’s’ name.
“Vincent’s shops are a hugely important aspect of the service SVP provides to those who seek its assistance. Not only do the shops provide goods at affordable prices and help reconnect people disconnected by poverty, they also provide an income source for the Society, which is directed back into the local communities,” a Vincent’s spokesperson said.
Speakers at the conference included Kevin O’Sullivan, environment and science editor of the Irish Times; Robin Osterley, CEO of the Charity Retail Association, UK; and Jeff Buamguard SVP Director of Stores Support, USA.
