It’s the end of an era of more than 50 years with the announcement that the Gerringong Mayflower Nearly New Shop will close its doors.

The Op Shop started in the early 1970s as one part of essential continuous fundraising in the early stages of the development of Mayflower Uniting Village in Gerringong.

But with the current committee all in their 80s and Uniting needing to reclaim the land for the shop’s sorting shed, the tough decision was made by the Gerringong Mayflower Volunteers incorporated organisation’s executive to wind up operations in June.

Trevor Hamblen, the retiring president of Mayflower Volunteers Inc, fellow committee members Lyn and John Rolfe, and Mena Sharpe and shop manager Jennifer James assembled for a photo outside the shop for The Bugle during the week, as did the dedicated volunteers at the sorting shed as they worked through the many donated items that needed to be arranged for sale or further distribution.

The genesis of the shop came more than half a century ago when due to age and ill health, a parent of members of the Gerringong Congregational (now Uniting) church was in need of residential care.

This man had lived in Gerringong all of his life and wanted to spend his final days near his family, but the nearest suitable option for him was in Sydney.

The hard-working volunteers hold items at the sorting shed. Photo: The Bugle

Reverend John Robinson, the church’s minister at the time, and his wife Helen, decided to organise the building of a nursing home in Gerringong.

They were joined by enthusiastic parishioners in forming an organising committee with other churches and the whole Gerringong community getting involved.

They held art exhibitions, rummage sales, coffee mornings, sold cookbooks and later, staged a major fete each year.

The shop started in a local resident’s garage before moving to the current premises in Fern Street.

Hamblen said the shop provided quality cheap items as well as funds for the continuing growth and support of the village.

“The Nearly New Shop was and still is run entirely by volunteers, including the shop itself, the sorting shed where volunteers meet every Tuesday morning to sort, clean and price donated goods, and the drivers who transported the goods between the sorting shed and shop.

“Seven years ago, the group running the Nearly New Shop became an incorporated organisation as we wanted to be sure we and the shop were fully covered by insurance.”

He praised Uniting for its help over the decades.

“Uniting have been very good to us, allowing use of their valuable large block of land on the corner of Belinda Street and Rowlins Road for many years for $1 a year.

“They now need the land. Most reasonable people will understand that we couldn’t expect Uniting, at a time when finances are tight, and other Uniting buildings require the same upgrade as we got a few years ago, to continue to have this valuable land only used Tuesday mornings.

“Attempts to find another suitable shed have so far come up with nothing definite.”

Hamblen said that when the new Nursing Home was built, Mayflower no longer had the same urgent need for funds.

In the past seven years, only around 37% of profits from the shop have gone to Mayflower Village, despite the fact our group spent $77,500 on initial equipment for the Mayflower Gym.

After Mayflower needs were fulfilled, the committee was able to donate to other charities in the local area and beyond, including

• Salt Care in Nowra, who provide care for the homeless.
• Homestead of Hope Kiama.
• KBECET for Kiama High School Breakfast program.
• Jacaranda Cottage for young mums needing shelter.
• A community mental health program in Gerringong for parents of children and teenagers.
• Light Home, a facility in India for destitute Darlic people, which is visited annually by members of the Gerringong community.
• The Nowra Town Band.
• Food and Friends program at West Wollongong Anglican Church.
• Lifeline.
• Dementia Awareness Group in Gerringong.

“The Mayflower Auxiliary that used to coordinate all of the fundraising ceased many years ago. This left just the current “Mayflower Volunteers inc.” running the nearly new shop,” Hamblen explained.

“It will be disappointing to many that, at least in the short term, the Nearly New Shop will close.

“Any individual or group who is disappointed, or even angry about this current shutdown are welcome to get it going again.

“Don’t be negative and blame the current ageing committee who want to retire after many years of service, in one case around 60 years of volunteering for Mayflower.

“Don’t blame Uniting, who have to be good stewards of the land they own. Don’t blame the council, who tried to find us another shed.

“Those who complain have the option to form a group, incorporate yourself to ensure you are legally formed, re-hire the shop, find a suitable sorting shed and get the shop going again.

“The huge number of volunteers who have kept the shop going since the 1970s deserve our grateful thanks.”