The spotlight in Aberystwyth this week has been on HAHAV, the volunteer-led charity that provides support to people across Ceredigion living with an incurable or life-limiting illness.

An open day yesterday (18 July) at its base at Plas Antaron allowed the public to see the facilities and services on offer, and put their names forward as volunteers. In the run-up to the event, the Cambrian News last week featured the work of HAHAV’s Alan Axford, a driving force in the establishment of the charity.

This week, First Person turns its attention to his wife, Karen, a vital HAHAV volunteer.

Karen came to Aberystwyth in the 1970s when Alan took the position of consultant chest physician at Bronglais Hospital.

Having worked as an accountant with South Glamorgan County Council, Karen was keen to continue working in this sphere and joined Ceredigion District Council as an accountant in the finance department.

“When our daughter Rachel was born in 1980,” Karen said, “I resigned from Ceredigion and started to trade in antiques, opening a shop under The White Horse in Terrace Road. I introduced my first new product range into the mix, supplied by Rhiannon Tregaron.

“Its success quickly made me realise that an easier and more lucrative future lay in trading in new goods and Kraxi, a gift shop with a difference, was born.

“I expanded into larger premises in Terrace Road, and in the final years moved to 10 Pier Street, from where, after 35 years of trading, I retired in 2015.

“This retirement coincided with the launch of HAHAV, a service created out of the need to reinstate vital services lost on the demise of the Beacon of Hope.

“The founder members and volunteers had no base and being aware of the capacious office space in cellar of 10 Pier Street, I persuaded the Board to take a lease on the property in the hope trading would cover the cost of an office for the volunteer coordinator, ensuring that all public donations received would continue to support the service.”

Having years of experience in retail, and supported by a team of volunteers, Karen volunteered to run the business for the first 18 months.

With no experience of charity shop retail, the team was grateful for initial support from Severn Hospice who trained us in the basics of charity shop trading.

Quality donations flooded in, and number 10 was overwhelmed.

HAHAV took the lease on 14 Pier Street, formerly Cardigan House, and were able to subsidise a new office for a volunteer coordinator, in addition to adding to their trading area.

“As the service grew so did our vision of providing a day hospice facility,” said Karen.

“The surplus income generated through retail gave us confidence to rent - with a view to purchase - Plas Antaron, our new Day Hospice Living Well Centre, without impacting on the continuing generous public donations.”

Covid lockdowns and subsequent restriction in access to Pier Street meant donations reduced significantly.

The Welsh Government Covid recovery grants were a vital lifeline and were used to invest in a van to collect donations from donor homes. But that proved so successful they struggled to store the items.

“A decision was made to acquire a unit on the Glanyrafon Trading Estate, and with the same business plan, as with our first shop, we began to take donations of furniture to sell on the ground floor of the warehouse, the sales to subsidise the large clothes sorting hub on the mezzanine, and our newly located finance office.

“The volume and quality of donations have been wonderful and the generosity of our donors overwhelming. Currently only open to the public three days a week, we would greatly appreciate more volunteers, both in town and at the warehouse, to enable us to realise our full potential.

“My promised initial 18 months of volunteering, together with some of our founding volunteers, has now reached a very challenging but enjoyable eight years, and I think the whole retail team past and current should be very proud of the contribution made to the vital services provided by HAHAV.”

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