Sue Ryder shop is a treasure trove of books and music
The next time you're in the Sue Ryder bookshop in The Crescent, Spalding, head to the paperback fiction section. If you find books neatly covered in sticky back plastic, the chances are they've been donated by my husband.
I do think Dougie missed his vocation as a Blue Peter presenter. Whenever he buys books from any retailer, he takes great pleasure in covering them. He reads an inordinate number of thrillers, so there is a constant loop of shiny books going into and out of this local charity shop.
If you haven't visited this little treasure trove, I can highly recommend it. It opened in 2005 and is Sue Ryder's only dedicated book and music shop.
In recent months, we've been hunting out novels by authors who spoke at the Theakston Crime-Writing Festival in Harrogate last summer. We've been feasting on an endless diet of Nordic Noir although, as I'm becoming a bit thrillered-out, I'm now on the hunt for a bit of light romance.
My favourite purchase from the shop was a signed copy of Julie Walters' autobiography, bought soon after I took on her iconic role, Mrs Overall, in a SADOS production of Acorn Antiques.
We've now started buying old CDs from Sue Ryder. We bought a bundle of greatest hits just before Christmas and I've been crooning John Denver classics ever since.
I'm thinking of dusting down our old record player, as there's also a great selection of vinyl for sale. One of the most heart-warming sights on Christmas Eve was seeing a young girl buy an album for her dad whilst he was elsewhere in the shop. She tucked the record into her bag and popped her change into the nearby charity box.
Both Sue Ryder shops in Spalding raise money for Thorpe Hall, a hospice located in Peterborough. The hospice is a specialist palliative care inpatient unit, providing support for those suffering from life-limiting conditions.
I'm particularly keen to support the work at Thorpe Hall. In 1947, my dad, aged 13, broke his leg and after months of hospital treatment, was offered a period of rehabilitation at Thorpe Hall. At the time, it was operating as a maternity hospital whilst providing other medical services.
In my dad's memoirs, written before he died in 2011, he recalled cycling there every day from his home in Peterborough. He received physiotherapy to strengthen his wasted muscles and enjoyed gardening, plus regular games of football under the supervision of an ex-Army PT instructor.
He also made a couple of woollen scarves and a small rug on the hand looms available in the occupational therapy department.
My dad's strength improved and he matured during those weeks spent mainly in adult company. He always spoke of Thorpe Hall with much fondness and gratitude.
When I pop into the Sue Ryder shop with a box full of books to donate, I think of my father and hope that by doing my little bit, I can support a charity which helped him to get back on his feet over 70 years ago.
You can read Trish's blog at www.mumsgoneto.co.uk
