A NEW Wales Air Ambulance shop is opening in a town centre in Flintshire. 

The lifesaving charity has taken on the lease of the former Poundstretcher site in the Daniel Owen Centre, in Mold.

It will become a hub store which will enable the charity to further develop its presence in the region and will create several new jobs.

The new Mold site, which will open in early 2023, will be the hub for the Charity’s north-east Wales retail operation. As well as being a shop, the new facility has the capacity to hold and distribute donated stock to its smaller Wrexham shop. Work is also underway to find a third retail location in north-east Wales.

Sue Barnes, Wales Air Ambulance chief executive, said: “The Mold site has a large amount of storage and shop floor space. We have previously had to turn down donations in the north-east of Wales due to lack of storage space but this new facility will allow us to accept more donations.

“It has a large shop floor that will accommodate a full complement of donated goods, while also providing a good facility to store and process stock and goods for sharing with our Wrexham shop

“The new site is an essential part of the development of our retail blueprint across Wales. It is part of a longer-term strategy to increase our retail footprint and engage with our supporters in their communities.”

READ MORE: Air ambulance required after crash on A541 in Flintshire

With the introduction of the Mold shop, the charity will be looking for new employees to join its team. Recruitment will take place for a shop assistant manager, a sales assistant, transport operatives and a warehouse operative. These vacancies will be promoted via the charity’s website.

The charity will also be seeking volunteers to help support the shop.

Dr Sue Barnes, added: “Through our surveys, our supporters and volunteers told us that the strength of our charity is in its community focus. As an organisation that was created by the people of Wales for the people of Wales, we have embedded ourselves within communities across the country. Our shops are not just retail outlets, they are part of the community they serve. This is something that people would like us to continue and strengthen, and it has become one of the focal points of our new strategy.

“Most importantly, the new hub will contribute to our lifesaving service. In 2021, we attended 266 life or limb-threatening emergencies across Denbighshire, Wrexham and Flintshire. It will help us to continue to be there for the people of Wales when they need us most. This is an exciting development for the charity and we are looking forward to enhancing our relationship with the people in the area. We’re also delighted that the facility will create new job and volunteering opportunities in the region.”

The Wales Air Ambulance needs to raise £8 million every year to keep the helicopters in the air and its rapid response vehicles on the road.

For more information on how to apply for one of the charity’s job vacancies, or to volunteer, please visit www.walesairambulance.com

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