For over 30 years, Ron and Jeanne Ower have been collecting heaps of donations for our charity shops.

Altogether, we have seven charity shops scattered across East London which generate essential funding for our services, such as our drop in and our abstinent-based supported housing for those recovering from addiction.

Ron and his wife first started bringing clothes to us when we were still based in the crypt of Christ Church, Spitalfields, collecting a few donations from his local area for SCT’s residents.
“It started with a bag of donations once a month. But very quickly, we were sending loads every week. As we received more clothes my wife and I suggested SCT open a shop – which became SCT’s first ever charity shop.

“Now, SCT collects a van-full of donations from my home on a weekly basis. Which over the course of a year, I reckon is worth around £20,000,” Ron told SCT.

That’s £20,000 worth of donations from the residents of Ron’s local area, Havering. Through his work as a local councillor in Havering, the husband and wife team collect second hand treasures from about 300 different people across the borough.

But Ron’s commitment to SCT runs deep. He also helps out at our drop-in at least twice a month, where he helps provide food, drink, toiletries and clothes to people facing addiction, homelessness and social isolation.