A SHOP run by a community for a community is celebrating a move to a better site a few feet from the old one.

For four years The Shop in Cavendish Square, Park North, has sold good quality second-hand goods at keen prices and ploughed any profits back into local good causes.

Community groups are also allowed to run The Shop on selected days, with the profits being handed over to them.

Now, thanks to a £17,000 cash injection from the South West regional development Agency and Lottery money to provide a manager and administrator, it has moved across the square to a site with a more prominent shop front.

The management committee is chaired by 33-year-old Michelle Lane, of Park North.

She said: "The shop is a retail outlet and a community resource.

"We recycle second-hand clothes and other items, and the money made after overheads have been deducted is distributed to community groups and causes.

"These include the Take a Break mothers' group, the Welcome family centre and the local church.

"And now we have a proper shop front so people passing by can see what is going on."

Committee vice-chairman Colin Phillips, 53, founder of The Shop, added: "Parks has always been a good area for volunteer groups, and the idea of The Shop is to link these groups together to give a sense of community focus. We have 12 volunteer staff and a 10-strong volunteer management committee."

The ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the new premises was performed by one of the local councillors, Steve Allsopp, who said: "It is really nice to see the extension of this community facility.

"It just shows that there is a great deal of vibrancy in the local community."

His enthusiasm was shared by one of the volunteer shop assistants, Eve Goddard, who said: "This is my life. We are involved with the community and providing a valuable service."

And customer Marian Atkins, 60, of Parks, added: "It is a social thing as well as a shop. Even if there is nothing you need to buy, you come here for the people and it's all for a good cause."