Drop Inn Thrift Shop Richhill

Drop Inn Thrift Shop Richhill

Drop Inn Ministries main funding is from the income of its Charity Shops. In 2010 we opened our 30^th Shop in Dundalk, Southern Ireland but where did the Shops begin?

On the 7^th October 1995 our first Shop opened its doors to the very first customer. The shop situated in New Line, Richhill was opened initially in response to the generosity of people donating to help the people of Minsk in Belarus and to the Children of Chernobyl. Following an initial visit to Minsk, Ronnie had been so touched by the plight of the people there and was determined to take out as much humanitarian aid as he could. Returning to Northern Ireland he set about to make this a reality and was soon needing storage for the donations that were being received from so many places in Northern Ireland. Premises where found but they were soon to become more than a storeroom. Such was the variety of donations from clothing, to food and toys that much of it was not going to be suitable to take to Belarus. Added to this was the escalating cost of transportation. The solution to both problems…The storeroom became Drop Inn’s first Charity Shop. Behind the counter was Mrs Dawson, Ronnie’s mum, who opened the shop faithfully every day and by the end of the month £250 pounds had been raised through the sale of many of the things people had and continued to donate. Over the next 5 years particularly Drop Inn Ministries developed their project in Belarus and Ukraine and sponsored Summer Holidays for many of those Chernobyl Children. Today they are still active in both countries, in Orphanages, in feeding programmes and in Youth Camps. They still bring in humanitarian aid, especially at Christmas time through the Shoebox Appeal but it also brings with that practical aid, the real hope to all people the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ.

The Shop that was to be the beginning of what is Drop Inn Ministries mainstay today is still opened in New Row, managed by Billy who is supported by a many faithful volunteers and contributes to the work that now extends to some 17 countries right around the world.