Annual Report 2007 - Enable Ireland

ANNUAL REPORT 2007 Enable Ireland 29
Retail & Fundraising
20 Year Milestone for Retail
2007 was a year when we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the opening of the first
Enable Ireland shop in Capel Street. The Enable Ireland retail network has made a huge
contribution over the past 20 years with funds raised providing the building blocks
for many of our new and modernised facilities throughout the country. Hundreds of
volunteers and the retail staff are justly proud of this wonderful achievement. Two
decades later, they continue to be highly motivated by the needs and aspirations of
the people who use our services. The Capel Street party in September and three
celebration events with volunteers later in the year were a welcome opportunity for
the management team to acknowledge all that has been achieved to date.
We rely entirely on quality donations and effective collections to maintain our fundraising
capacity through charity retailing. Volumes of donated goods improved, despite the
continuing impact of theft on doorstep collections. Public interest in recycling and a
commitment to the work of Enable Ireland accounted for this. As the hub of our stock
sorting and recycling operation, the Blanchardstown warehouse achieved record output
in 2007.
Volunteers Phyllis McDonald, Marie Johnson,
Laura O’Connor and Kathleen Poole at the
20 years celebration in the Capel Street shop
Taking
Action on
Disability
Enable Ireland celebrated
20 years of retail in 2007