Staff at a Moray charity shop had two million reasons to celebrate yesterday as it emerged that the store had reached an impressive milestone.
The Cancer Research UK shop at the east end of Elgin High Street has collected £2million since it opened in 1998.
That money has been ploughed into scientific and clinical studies which have provided help to people suffering with the disease.
The store is run by a dedicated crew of 38 volunteers, whose ages range from 15 to 84.
And yesterday, they thanked the Elgin residents who have donated goods to the shop, or carried out some bargain hunting there, over the past 19 years.
Manager, Val Wilson, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be able to announce that £2 million has been raised by this shop, for lifesaving research.
“The community in and around Elgin is so generous, I want to say a huge thank you to all of our customers and to our dedicated team of tireless volunteers.
“The volunteers are all so special, without them we wouldn’t have been able to raise such a fantastic sum of money.”
Staff revealed that a recent Gift Aid drive had contributed to the shop’s fundraising feat, as it helped amass £16,000 last year.
The tax relief scheme increases the value of people’s charity donations by 25%.
Moray MSP, Richard Lochhead, visited the store recently and learned about the work that has gone into making it a success.
He said: “I applaud the team who are doing vital work to raise the funds needed to beat cancer sooner.
“The volunteers can be incredibly proud of what they have achieved and the fact that they have raised over £2 million for such a good cause, making a difference to so many lives.”