In 13 years as part of our retail section, Emma Hawnt has been a key member of the team launching all our new shops.
But now she is taking on her biggest challenge of all as she prepares for the autumn opening of the first St Luke’s department store at Kilner Way in Wadsley Bridge.
And as store manager, she is proud to say her support for the St Luke’s shops is equally strong both sides of the counter!
“I’m an enthusiastic charity shopper and my favourite pre-loved item is not just one piece, but my whole wardrobe,” she admits.
"The best part about buying pre-loved is you can donate items you no longer want and then buy more to keep your wardrobe refreshed - it’s sustainable and you support important causes.”
Having previously worked with national brands like Next, Emma’s first St Luke’s retail venture was our popular shop in Hillsborough – where she stayed for more than seven years - and after working on all subsequent openings she also spent over six years at our Crookes store, establishing the site’s important donation hub.
“I love everything about St Luke's but my favourite thing has to be the volunteers,” she says.
“Without them, we wouldn't have our wonderful shops but when I first became a shop manager, I didn’t understand why people would volunteer their time.
“It was the volunteers themselves who explained that it’s because you become part of a family and gain so much from it and I can tell you now that this is 100 per cent true.”
Opening this autumn, the Kilner Way department store will feature an 8,500 sq ft retail space, offering a wide variety of pre-loved goods for the cost-conscious sustainable shopper, creating a go-to destination for everything pre-loved.
The site also offers visitors three hours of free parking and is well-served by public transport links.
With an extra 7,000 sq ft of warehouse space to the rear of the store, the new shop will also provide a donation hub for items to be dropped off by supporters quickly and conveniently.
“As ever, though, a key factor to the success of any St Luke’s shop comes down to the generosity of the Sheffield public, whether giving their time to volunteer or donating high quality pre-loved items that can be resold in our shops,” said Emma.
“We are asking whether you could give a few hours of your time a week to support this amazing new retail venture."
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Kilner Way volunteer, please click here, call 0114 235 7639 or email volunteer.