A NEW Wales Air Ambulance charity shop is set to open in Mold.

The new shop is expected to open in 'early spring' and will see the creation of several new volunteering opportunities in the area. 

The lifesaving charity has taken on the lease of the former Poundstretcher site in the Daniel Owen Centre, and will now become a hub store which will enable the charity to further develop its presence in the region.

The new Mold site will act as the hub for the Wales Air Ambulance's North-East Wales retail operation.

In addition to being a shop, the new facility has the capacity to hold and distribute donated stock to its smaller Wrexham shop, with work also confirmed to be underway to find a third retail location in North-East Wales.

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Dr 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.”

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.

The Wales Air Ambulance service offers critical care across Wales. It is delivered via a unique partnership between the Wales Air Ambulance Charity and the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS Cymru).

As a result, the service is consultant-led and is known as a ‘flying emergency department’, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient at the scene of an incident - including the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident.

The charity will be looking for new volunteers to join its team, with the site seeking 14 volunteers.

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Dr 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."

For more information on how to apply for one of the charity's volunteer roles, please visit www.walesairambulance.com