Staff and volunteers at Cancer Research UK’s shop in Ilkley are celebrating an amazing milestone as over £2 million has been raised since it first opened its doors in 1997.

All the 26 current volunteers, aged from 14 to 80, at the shop on The Grove were invited to attend a special celebration dinner.

Since 1997 Ilkley residents have helped achieve this figure by donating stock as well as buying goods.

Local people have also given their time to help serve customers, sort donated stock, value items, arrange displays and dress the two large windows.

The shop is managed by Elaine Hildreth who said: “I would like to thank the generous nature of the people from Ilkley, they’ve always been very supportive of the work that we do, and are the main reason that we have been so successful in making this amazing sum of money.

“We get such a high standard of donated stock being brought in, from quality designer clothes, valuable jewellery, first edition books, original paintings and some high-value bric-a-brac items.

“The people are so lovely, some even apologise that the clothes they are donating have not been ironed. We are lucky to receive such great stock, and that we can offer our customers such high-quality items at prices below their retail value.”

“I would like to give a huge personal thank you to the brilliant team of volunteers who donate so much time and effort into the shop. I wouldn’t be able to manage the shop without them, they’re absolutely amazing.”

Some of the older members of the team have been volunteering at the shop since it opened. Others have worked there for more than a decade. They include, Rachel Pearson, Rosemary O’Connell, Sue Thompson, Anne Graham and Margaret Poley The money raised by the shop helps fund local research. Last year Cancer Research UK spent over £7 million in Leeds on some of the UK’s leading scientific and clinical research.

The shop, at 12 The Grove, Ilkley, is open Monday to Saturday, from 9am to 5pm. Good quality clothes, shoes, bags, jewellery, books, CDs DVDs and household goods are all urgently needed.

For details about Cancer Research UK shops visit cancerresearchuk.org/shopping.