Jim's taking a rest after 17 years working in Nairn's Blythswood Charity Shop

This is Jim Rae's final week in the Blythswood shop in Leopold Street, a familiar part of the Leopold Street fabric is moving on. The shop has expanded a bit in his term as manager and seven years ago the upstairs area was opened up. “It's more than a shop it's a hub,” he told the Gurn as he reflected on his time in the premises. Many of his customers have opened up to him about  the problems they face and hunger has been a very real experience for some who live in the town, he is very concerned that things are getting worse and has done what he can in recent years to highlight the problem through the local media. 

Jim has enjoyed his work for the charity but wants a bit of a rest and then a change. He has one or two ideas on how he can continue to help those in need in the town and beyond through some of the new initiatives cropping up like the Nairn Cares group and working with others highlighting issues in Nairn.

Recently the shop has been provided with a few loaves every day from Ashers Bakery, the loaves are free to customers on a no questions asked basis and Jim is certain that poverty is very much on the increase in Nairn with many folk going hungry and that a more informal approach is often necessary to help some of those “under the radar”. He worries about the direction society is going and wants to do what he can to help the increasing numbers of those in need. So a well earned rest for Jim and then he will be back.