Ormskirk folk are being urged to shop to save lives, as the town’s Cancer Research UK charity shop re-opened this week following a devastating closure.

Three months on, staff and volunteers at the popular Burscough St. store are now getting back to business to tackle a shortfall in funding, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With its shops typically contributing more than £25m every year to vital research, Cancer Research UK has suffered a dramatic loss of income since they were forced to close temporarily at the end of March.

Highlighting the scale of the funding gap, the call to support the Ormskirk shop coincides with the launch of an urgent new TV appeal to help get the charity’s life-saving work back on track.

Answering that rallying cry is cancer survivor Kimberly Harrison from Ormskirk, who first opened the town’s shop in October last year.

The mum-of-two, 39, had her eyeball removed and nearly lost her leg in two separate instances of cancer.

Now fit and well, she knows first-hand just how important new discoveries are to help more people survive, saying: “As a regular customer it was terrible to see the shop close, because I understand all too clearly what a lack of funding could mean for the development of new treatments for people like me.

“Research has given me more precious time with my family, so I hope people in Ormskirk will be inspired by the charity’s determination to carry on beating cancer and show their support – they really could save lives.”

And thanks to the generosity of supporters like Kimberly, Cancer Research UK currently funds around 50% of all cancer research in the UK.

However, as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, it expects to see its fundraising income decline by up to 30 per cent in the financial year ahead – putting this research at risk.

Its customers are a key part of this effort, so strict measures are being followed to ensure people in the town can shop, volunteer and donate goods safely. These include social distancing, hand sanitiser stations, cough guards at till points, face coverings and gloves for shop staff and volunteers, additional cleaning and a 72-hour quarantine period for donated items.

Anna Taylor, from Cancer Research UK North West, said: “To save lives tomorrow, we need the public’s support today - so we want people to know we’re making every effort to create a safe shopping experience.

“COVID-19 has hit us hard and after three long months we’re delighted to be able to welcome new and familiar faces back through our doors again, as well as a host of new donations.

“Our shops are full of new and pre-loved items, fashion one-offs and homeware treasures – particularly after lockdown clear-outs. As well as being sold at bargain prices, every sale helps to fund our work. But right now, clinical trials are being postponed and we’re having to delay vital research.

“That’s why we’re asking our Ormskirk customers to do what they can. Whether they shop, donate goods or volunteer their time – all are essential to help us keep making breakthroughs for people with cancer.”

Anna added: “COVID-19 has slowed us down. But we will never stop. With around 41,100 people diagnosed with cancer every year in the North West of England, we are absolutely determined to continue creating better cancer treatments for the future.

“Every step our scientists take towards beating cancer relies on every pound raised. So, with the help of shoppers in Ormskirk we believe that together we will still beat cancer.”

Cancer Research UK was able to spend over £30 million in the North West of England last year on some of the UK’s leading scientific and clinical research; click here: cruk.org/shops

A short video of the Ormskirk shop is available here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N5tuXcS0Bw