A charity Christmas card shop in Ealing now in its 30th year has already made £1,500 in just its first week.
The Ealing Charity Card Shop, at the Church of Christ the Saviour, New Broadway, had opened its doors on November 2 before its official launch on November 5.
Since opening in 1985, it has sold an estimated five million cards and raised over £500,000 for over 100 charities.
This year organiser Sue Green has set a target of raising £30,000, to beat last years total of £28,000, and are already up on last year by raising £1,500 in the first week.
She said: "It was received very well, we invited volunteers and quite a few came along and they enjoyed listening to Stephen Pound as usual.
"We are up on this time last year already, we have raised £1,500 in the first week."
Its official launch was attended by MP Rupa Huq, the Mayor of Ealing Councillor Harbhajan Kaur Dheer, MP Stephen Pound and radio and television presenter John Sergeant.
Mrs Green said she first opened the shop because her and her now late friend, Pat Harvey, were fed up that their closest card shop was in Hammersmith and wanted one closer to home in Ealing.
The pair also felt that card shops were overpriced, and wanted to offer them at a knock-down rate with all proceeds going to charity.
Mrs Green added: "In 1985 I had a friend (Pat Harvey) who also had children and we talked about the trouble of getting buggies to Hammersmith, so we thought it would be a good idea to set up one in Ealing.
"Other shops bump up the prices hardly any of it goes to charity, but Ealing Charity Christmas Card Shop is able to send 100% of the money taken directly back to charity."
Charities will get in touch with the store, which runs for eight weeks every year, to ask them to put their cards on the shelves. and it takes around 100 volunteers to keep the shop going over the festive period.
MP Stephen Pound, who first opened the store in 1985, hailed the shop as unique because he believes there is nowhere like it in London.
He said: "It raises a huge amount of money for charities and it is something that is better in Ealing than anywhere else in London.
"It is really unique and it is incredibly well supported, and it is really awe inspiring."
The shop will run until December 19, Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm.
