Hitchin MP visits sustainably-revamped Garden House Hospice shop

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP

MONDAY 11^th AUGUST 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alistair Strathern, the MP for Hitchin, visited Garden House Hospice’s Hitchin shop to see and celebrate its green renovations.

The re-vamped Garden House shop on Bancroft, Hitchin has been designed with sustainability as a key focus. Two rooms, including a Lifestyle Room, have been designed featuring pre-loved homeware and carefully upcycled furniture, all pieces revamped from their depot in Letchworth.

Garden House has recognised the need for its funding to be sustainable to continue to be able to deliver their high-quality care and support.

The Hospice’s sustainable reinvigoration also has a digital arm, with customers able to purchase donated items online through Vinted and eBay.

The new-look shop has a welcoming ambiance with an area to sit and enjoy a coffee, while ensuring that is accessible to all with ramps throughout, catering for wheelchair users and prams and buggies. 

Garden House Hospice also offer additional services such as house clearances, ‘man-with-a-van’, garden, garage or office clearances.

Their sister shop, Threads, in Churchgate Hitchin is home to a carefully handpicked curation of 90s, Y2K and will soon also have the same forest green branding as the Garden House Hospice shop to help promote the charity’s synergy.

The hospice recently received £369,785 funding as part of the Government’s scheme to provide £75 million in additional funding for hospices investment.

Strathern has previously visited the Hospice in Letchworth alongside Chris Hinchliff MP.

Alistair Strathern MP said:

“It was great to visit Garden House’s newly-revamped shop and to meet their brilliant volunteers.

“I have long been an advocate for sustainable shopping. Not only are items affordable but it helps to reduce the impact fast fashion is having on our planet and keeps clothing out of landfill. 

“I fondly remember when the General Election was called and our campaign office was in Bancroft - but was just an empty work space. The team clubbed together and we bought a lot of our office furniture from the Garden House Hospice shop which are still being used today!

“I’ll keep pushing for long-term, sustainable funding for our hospices in Parliament so our incredible local staff can continue to deliver the high quality care local vulnerable people need and deserve”.

Notes for Editors

You can see more information about the Garden House Hospice’s shops here.

You can see an image from Strathern’s office, attached.